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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-450'' 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 
□ 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


□ 

D 
D 


D 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 


Unstitut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'ii  lui  a  6X6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  c  templaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 

□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 

□    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachet§es  ou  piqu^es 

□    Pagos  f*etached/ 
Pages  ootach^es 

□    Shr.i .through/ 
Trsrioparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


□ 


Qualite  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


□ 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mencaires: 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

SOX 

/ 

^~~ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library, 

Geological  Survey  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  filmd  fut  reproduit  gr§ce  d  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

Bibllotheque, 

Commission  G6ologique  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  {-rand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  film^s  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commengant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^•^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  T-'med 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

■r. 

X 


S 
H 


\ 


%  :  ■    ■ 


■       1 


K'^  ^^j  I..W  /\  2^ 


■     lir 


X 


i.-A. 


vlTh" 


!■!■ 


'iF. 


■  •       .  •.     • 


•        •  ••'.  a 


.J,  :f  M*?t?*.;-. 


*>.. 


f 


In  Arctic  Seas 


The  Voyage  of  the  "  Kite  " 


WITH    Till! 


Peary  Expedition 


TOC.T.IHK    WM„    ,,    TKANSCIUM-    „„    ,,,K 


Log  of  the  "Kite- 


ROBERT  N.  KEELY.  JR..  M,  o 

Purgeon  to  il,e  Expediti,,,,  sent  In-  ,.  e  Ac„i..„        r  m 

AM) 

G-  G.  DAVIS.  ..  AL  M.  D..  M.  R.  C  S 


"lustrated  by  Maps.  Portraits  and  Photographic 


ylvania,  etc. 


Views 


PHILADELPHIA 

RuFus  C  Hartranft 
1892 


•  "'••  ;. , 


•   •  •  I 
•     t  • 


Coi'VkKillr,     Ihyj, 

BV  KILTS  C.   HAKlKAN'K'r. 

Am.    KkiiITS    KKSKKVKt. 


PRESS   AND  niNDKRv  ()^ 

HISTORICAL  I-miMSllINC.  CO. 
I-HII.ADKI.p,,,^      ,.,^ 


*      ■    t        •  I 


•..;v.. 


PUBLISHKR'S    PR  KPACK. 


The  u-ork  licrev/itli  presented    to   the  reader  is 
divided  into  two  -parate  bnt  closely  related  p^rts 
The  first  part,  "The  Voyage  of  the  AV/r,"  is  the 
narrative  of  tlie  expedition  sent  in  1891  to  convey 
Lient.  Peary  to  the  northwestern  shore  of  Green- 
land ;  the  second,  nnder  the  general  title  of  "  The 
Peary  Relief  Expedition,"  is  a  record  of  the  second 
^•oyage   of  the  same  vessel   in   the   present  year 
when  she  was  sent  to  bring  the  party  home  again.' 
Added  tu  the  acconnt  of  the  two  vojvages  is  a 
transcript  of   the    log-book  of   Captain    Pike    the 
commander  of   the  ship  on    both    expeditions ;    a 
number   of   facts    relating    to    Mr.    Verhoeff,  the 
only  missing  member  of  either  party,  with  letters 
irom  his  relatives  giving  the  arguments  in  favor 
of  then-  belief  that  he  is  still  alive,  and  the  cor- 
respondence   between  the    yonng  man  and  Lient. 
Peary  anterior  to  his  joining  the  expedition      The 
search  for  \^erhoefif  is  minutely  described,  and  the 
certificate  respecting  the  same,  signed  by  Captain 
Pike  and  his  chief  officer,  is  reproduced.      Besides 


IV 


pun  I.  IS  HER  S  PR  It  FA  CE. 


this,  there  are  ehapters  on  tlie  winter  life  of  the 
Peary  part)'  north,  and  on  the  jonrney  of  Lient. 
Peary  across  the  inland  ice  of  Greenland.  This 
journey  was  in  many  respects  the  most  wonder- 
ful of  all  V(j3'ages  of  discovery  in  modern  times. 
It  was  not  made  across  the  sea  as  was  Colum- 
bus', nor  over  the  land  as  was  that  of  Stanley  ; 
it  was  made  across  the  ice — as  pathless  as  the 
sea,  as  crowded  with  formidable  obstacles  as  is  the 
heart  of  Africa,  and  was  made  under  discouraging 
circumstances  l)y  two  men  comparatively  unused 
to  Arctic  travel. 

The  great  and  startling  discoveries  made  b}-  the 
expeditions  were  summarized  in  the  report  pre- 
sented by  Lieut.  Peary  to  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences,  the  substance  of  which  is  included  in 
an  Appendix.  The  volume  thus  forms  a  com- 
plete and  authentic  record  of  one  of  the  most 
successful  journej'S  ever  made  by  any  exploring 
party  to  the  frozen  North. 

A  brief  history  of  Arctic  voyages  from  the 
earliest  times  to  the  present  day  has  been  ap- 
pended in  the  belief  that  it  would  be  useful  for 
handy  reference. 


i 


PRHFACH 


^HI-:  authors  have  requested  nie  to  write  a  preface  to 
J-  their  story  of  tlie  AV/r's  voyage  to  the  tar  North.      I 
have  ,<;]a(lly  consented,  because  I  not  only  have  a  full 
knowlcd^^e  of  the  voyage  itself,  but  also  of  ihe  book,  tlie 
authors  of  which    have    been    my  intimate    friends    for 
many  years.     The  book  needs  no  apolotry.     At  a  time 
when  the  whole  cotuitry  is  interested  in  the  elforls   to 
rescue  the  little  band  of  darincr  explorers  who  have  risked 
their  lives  in  the  cause  of  science,  everythin.,^  that  relates 
to  their  journey  possesses  -/rdue,  iwrticularly  when  it  is 
told  by  one  familiar  with  the  members  and  with  the  cir- 
cumstances surroumlin,<r  their  journey  to  the  North.    The 
sentimental  interest  relatin.t,^  to  their  fate  is  scarcely  less 
than  was  felt  concerninor  that  of  Sir  John  Franklin.     In 
the  one  case  it  was    the  svmpalhv-  for  a  devoted    wife 
which  caused  expedition  after  expedition  to  be  sent  out 
in   search    of  her   coura.neous    husband.       In    this    case 
another    devoted   wife    refused    to    leave   her    husband's 
side,  but  has  faced  the  terrors  of  an  Arctic  winter  with 
him,  and  it  is  to  rescue  and  relieve  her  that  the  sym]Kithy 
of  the  people  has  been  awakened.     The  relief  expedi- 
tion has  the  prayers  of  a  nation  that  its  quest  ma\-  be 
successful. 

(V) 


VI 


/'/vv;/'. /(/•; 


liiu  llic  pix'scul  l)i)(ik  has  ail  iiilcTcsi  (jiiiic  ils  u\\  ii  in 
thai  it  rclalfs,  in  a  straiL^lilt'orward  \va\-,  cxactK'  what  was 
seen  and  hfard  1)\  Dr.  Ki-'ily  on  his\o\a,m.'  to  the  Xnrth, 
and  wdiich  was  ivronk'd  with  fidelity  in  a  diar\-  which  he 
ke])t  fmni  da\  to  da\'.  'I'hc  cxptdition,  of  which  Dr. 
Kccly  and  nusclf  had  the  honor  to  hi-  members,  had  ex- 
ceptional ()i)])orlnnities  lo  see  the  life  and  cnstoms  ot"  the 
natives  of  Xorlhern  ( ireenland.  Most  of  the  expeditions 
to  the  Arctic  re<rioiis  have  been  in  haste  to  reach  the 
farthest  possible  north,  and  on  their  retnrn  were  inter- 
ested only  in  reachinj^'  civilization.  The  A7A',  however, 
steamed  leisnreh-  back,  slopjiinjn  wdiercver  points  of 
interest  existed,  thns  allowin<4  the  members  of  the  ])art\- 
to  become  fairh'  familiar  with  the  natives  and  the  desolate 
conntry  wdiich  they  inhabit.  Those  thin_i;s  which  were 
of  sjiccial  interest  were  faithfully  recorded  in  Dr.  Keely's 
diary,  wdiich  proved  the  basis  of  the  jiresent  work. 

Althon<^h  this  was  his  first  \'o\a!Lie  to  the  Arctic  re- 
<;ions.  Dr.  Keelx'  was  already  experienced  in  travel  and 
with  meetiii}.;-  stranj^e  peojjle.  He  had  visited  not  only 
most  of  the  conntries  of  Knrope,  but  also  main'  of  the 
Stales  of  Central  and  Sonlh  America,  and  his  powers  of 
observation,  thns  (piickened,  (i^rasiK'd  many  interestinjr 
thinjTS  which  wonld  have  escaped  one  less  familiar  with 
the  world  and  its  peoi)le. 

The  aid  wdiich  he  received  from  Dr.  (iwilym  (ieor<je 
Da\is  was  invalnable.  Not  only  with  his  pencil  (for  the 
sketches  wdiich  illnstrale  the  work  were  made  by  him), 
bnt  also  with  his  jjcii,  he  has  devoted  himself,  with  un- 
tiring indnstry,  to  the  task  of  making  readable  and  \aln- 


I 


Ill 

VMS 

th, 

llr 

)r. 
x- 

lic 
lis 

IC 

r- 

r, 
f 
y 

e 


I 
f 


/ '/>7; /■■./( /.;. 

vn 

a!.K-  this  l,nnk  ,.f  Arctic-  travel.  Mv  nw„  sl,,nv  in  ti.c 
work  l,;,s  Iktu  n.nlluol  t.,  thr  writinn  ,..,t  ui  cvrlaiii 
(acts  and  incidents  „r  whi.-l.  I  1,;„I  special  knnwK.l-a' 
ItccI  that  I  have  little  claim  to  either  cre.lil  or  thanks, 
'"'^  '""  I"'""' "'"  ^"1  «'l'P<"lunitv  to  have  niv  name  con- 
iK'Cte.l  with  a  work  which.  1  an,  huv,  will  he  a  sonrcc 
ol  pn<le  to  the  authors  and  of  nselnlnos  to  the  neneral 
public, 

!>••.   KcelvandDr.   Davis  have  aske.l  n,e  to  thank  , .ar- 
^•^'"'•"■'v  I'rof.  iJenj.  Sharpan.l  Prof.  Jacol,  1.-.  n,.it  fo,  t,,, 
.^vnerons  nse  they  have  permitted  ..f  their  photo.,,  ,phs 
"■"".  winch  a  larne  n.tmher  ..fthe  plates  illnstrath.-  this 
volnme  have  been  made.      Thanks  are  also  <••,,  to  i'n.f 
Anoelo   Meilprin   for  similar  conrlesio,  and   to  Jol  .  j" 
McKenna,    ivsc,.,    of    Philadelphia,    lor  several   acts   of 
K.I  :d  Mess. 


CONTJiXTs. 

I-IST  Ol-  Il.l.'.STUVTlONS 

y-I2 

PART   I. 

TIIK  VOVACiK   Ol-  Tin.;    '•KITF- 

■    *    •       '5   J'S 

iNTKOIirCTUiN 

'     •  •     •      ■       15 

cii.\pti:r  I. 

1..H    Staut.-Ca,.ta.n    PiKK.-OrR    Ckkw.-Th,.;    I.an,.    u. 

I-:VAN,;,.:...XH._AKK,VA,.     AT    SvnXKV.       C..A,.,N,;    KOK     nu: 
VOVACK        .     . 

23 

cii.\i'ti:r  II. 

CKcssiN,;  ruv.  Cvu-  ..k  St.  I.AWKKNCK.-OrK  FrnsT  Ick.- 
Ax  .\nANi...XKi.  I!..AT-  IX  Tmc  Mn>sT  cf  th..;  r,.,,K- 
N':wr..rx.„.Ax„    Imsukkmkx.-okk    ...k    Capk    I.ks....a- 

TKJX        .     . 

■    '    ■      3' 

CII.M'TER    III. 

I-KST     S„;„T    OF    (;KKKX,,AXn-ICKHKK.;s.--I.,SK.,     IS..AX,,.   - 

Ark.vai.  at  (ionHAVx.^-V.srr  of  Ksk.mos.-D.xix.;  uTn. 

TIIK   Ck)VF;uxoK,-.\ATivi.:    HtTS 

42 


2  CONTENTS. 

CHAITlvR    IV. 
A    Nativi-;  Dan'cic. — I'oi.auis    IIicnkicr  — I<i:i,ic.I()N     of    tiih 
Eskimos. —  Modk   ok  (iovicuNMicxT.  —  MosyriToKs.  —  A 
I'UJNiVH  IN  THK  Arctic  C)ci;an. — Tine  N'ativic  Aimmctitk  .     59 

ciiai>ti;r  V. 

FaKICWIvM,    to  (loDHAVN.  —  AUUIVAI,    AT    UrKKNAVIK. — XoTICK 

TO  Makimcus  in   Tiiiv  Davis  Straits.    Till;  .Si:tti,i;mi;nt 

AND  ITS     iNIIAItlTA.NTS.  —  DlCK     ISI.ANIiS 75 


CIIAITI'U  VI. 

Coi,I,Al'SI\(,     OI"    AN  ICKHIvKC,  — InTHI':   M  III, VI  1.1,1-;   \\\\  I'ACK. 
l'l<Oi:S    AND     I'ANS. — lilTTIXC.    THI',     ICl-.. — .\RCTIC     Sl'ORT. 

I, HUT.    I'icARV   Hri:aks  His   I.i.c,       


CII.MTIik  VII. 

An  .\ccii)i;nt  to  Tiiic  Sim-,  .\iri'i;i)  in  thI';  Ici;.--r.i.AST- 
iNc.  "Wic  Kii.i,  A  r.i:AK.  — 'rAiu.i-;  k'hiii.KC.s.— Cai'i-;  York 
,Sic.iiTi;i).-    Drii'Tinc.  with  tiii;  Pack 99 

CIIAr'I'I'K  \III. 
Vkv.v.  OncI'!    Moric.  -  Caim-:    Takrv    and    W  iiai.i-:  Sihnk.  — An 
IvsKiMo   Vii.i.Ac.i:.     Till'.  Nativi;s.     Contrast  with   Tiir: 
l'"ii;(.iANS. — Rki.ics  i-R(i.\i  i;s.<iMo  (iRAVi;s 114 


CHArTI'.K     IX. 

IIUKHl'.RT    ISI.\NI>.       I'OX  TRAPS       .V    C.RI'.IIN    Si'oT    .XmoNC.   Till' 
('.I.ACII'.KS  McCoRMUK     I!A\  .  —  C  HOOSI M  .      \     ."^I'liT     imR 

I'l;  xrv'sCami'.     ilrii.iuNC.  Tin;  Ilorsi;      A  Ci.mi;  To  tiii; 

ICK  CAl' 127 


59 


CONTENl^S.  3 

CIIAI'TKR    X. 
A8cirour<    of   Whitk   WiiAi.Ks.-IiiDDix,;   C,  xm-iiv    to    thi-: 
I'i;.\i<v   I'AKTv.-Ax    Arctic   Stokm.— CKowi.icks.-SAr.N- 
Di'KS   Isi.Axi).— SorTiiWAKi)    liorxi).— Ckimson    Ci.ii'is.— 
Ri;i.    Snow.— Tiiij    Cai-ic    Vokk     Xativks.— An     Ivskimcj 

Taii.ok 

MI 

CHAI'TlvR   XI. 
Akctic  Ci.()THrN(;.-A  Si.kd.wmudk.-An   Ini)I(;na\t  Ivskimo 
I,Aii\-.— Till-,  Xati\I';  Docs.— Si,i;i)c.i;,s ,-0 

CHAI'TI-R    XII. 

Hows    AM,    AI.'KOWS.- Sl>i;AkS   AND    H  A  Rl-OONS.- 1  [rNTIM  ;    TIIIC 

Si:ai.    axi,    Wai.kis- Scakcitv    ok    Wool. --Ciiii.i.Ri.:.N's 
Toys,  — ■MiCKivv"  axd  His  1)oix(;s .Ciy 

CIIAI'TI'R    XIII. 

Asci.:xi>ix(;  thic  Irox  Moixtaixs -(^kkkxi.axi.  <  m.a^  ,i;rs.- 
A.,\iN    ox    oik  Way  Homi;.— TiiKor.-,ii    \Vah,\ti:   Ciiax- 

XIU..— A    (W.ORIOIS     SrXSivT.  -SlCARCIIIXc;     FOR     CoAI,      1)1^- 

1 'OS  its      .... 

'«5 

cii.\iti;r  XIV. 

At    (;o,,nAVN     ONCF    Mork.-Mictforitfs.-Tiif     I.VXh    ,,F 

DfsoI.aTIoX.     -TaKIX.;       on       HaFLAST.  — (  )N      TMK       OPFN 

Si-\,— Xkwit    ni;o:xs.-0|.F  tiii^  Co\st   oi'    I,ai;r  \n,,R.-- 
AnM«,Ncinx.;    St.   Joiixs.-Ofr    Ri.cfftion.--  A    Ria.fw 

i>i-  Tin;  Tru-     .... 

•    •    ■    • 19S 


"^  CONTENTS. 

PART    II. 

TIIK   RICLIKP   OP    PKAKV    AM,   THE    LOO    OP   T^P 
"KIT]',"  Etc.  ... 


^'9-524 


iNTKonrcTroN- 

Tin;  1,0,;  ,,,.■  Tin;  "Kiti,  " 

Tin;  P1..VKV  Rkukk  1vxi.hi.,t„,n 


•  219-224 
.  225-265 
■  267-524 


cir.\i'T(;R  I. 

'■•<'^'^'>.ST,<n.,T.ox   Am.,x.  ,,„.;    Xokthkkx    Psk.mos  _ 

SKKTCHKSO.   TUKMKM„KKSn.    THK    PxPKnmox  . 

CIIAI'TI'R    II. 

Th.    St.u<t.-T„k    Mn<Ax,...-PK.,M    H,<ooKr.vx    n.llu,- 
I'Ax.— ix  A  I)i;x,si-:  I'oc. 


267 


274 


ciiai'Ti.;r  III. 
IlAr.,KAx.-iTs    IlnrsKs,    Stkkkts,     ax,.     Docks. -a    T.atk 
Sprixo.-Auct.c     I.:x....ukurs.-\Vm.     Sa,x,.krs    rx;.KK 


iMKi; 


-'.So 


CHAI'TI'R    IV. 

Vu<,r      rCKHKKOS.-ST       JuHXS       n.KoUK      THK       Pn<K. 

"KiTi;'s"  OKricia<s  Axn  Ckiav  . 


•Tin.: 


2SS 


CFIAI'TICR    V. 


I.KAvrxn  St.  Joiixs. 


^•'^.     Tin-:  N'i:ui-.iiM„.vx,,  Coast.   -.Sum, M,,x 
».('.s,s.-Tin.;  Aiut.c    Cnui.i:    -Arkiv 


A  I.    AT    (  '.ODII  \\x 


J97 


1 


CONTENTS. 

CH-VrTlvR   V!. 
OFnciAi.    R-cooy.TioN    or    tiik    Kxi-KniTioN.-AN   Kskimu 

]^VY 

CHAITKR   VIl 

The  Cai>];  Y-jr!:.  ani:    Xr!r""MT    J■'^>-r^r,,^:      t-, 

OF     (iirT^.-MKKTix;;     (^iHsoN,     Dr.    Cuok,    am.     Vkr- 


307 


Hoicn- 


CIIAl'TKR  \"in. 
Xkws    w   vhk    Ship's   Akkivai.   Tak!:x    -,-,.    Mrs.    I'kakv- 
KsKiM,,  Sh.ns  (,i-  Ac;k  -Attackix,;  thk   Icic-cAf 

CIIAI'TI{R   IX, 
IX    SMrni    SorNn.-irAv,;s'    U.nt,;k    <  .rAKTKRs.-T.nc    Ici; 
HARR,KR.-WA..Krs    H,  x,.x.;.--Thk    Kta„    an,,    OTHKR 

KXTkl'Mi;    XoKTilMRI.V    vSllTTI.llMl'XTS 

CH.VI'TI-.R    X. 
Cam..,x.;mx  Ru,u,rts„x  IUv.-T„,  Ax,;hk.,k.-Thk  rr,WTivK 
Wrnc  Axn  I)Ar,;HTKK.-  -A  r<,ssn.  (u.acikr 

CHARTl'.R    XI. 
TUK  RKr.,KF  Kx,M;,.rr,nx  .Uk,.:s  a  Rkcuxx„issaxck  ok  thk 
lM..\xi)      Ici;.     Axi)     .Miiirrs     l.n 

ASTRL"!>     .... 


3>S 


329 


335 


350 


'i;''T.     1'i:arv     Axn     Mr. 


356 


cii.\rri;R  XII. 


Tu::   PKAKv   Rartvs   U.xthk    I.m.:.^  ,.av,xo   ,x    Storks.- 


Tiii:   Arctic    .\ir,irr.-l'K|.:,.ARATi,,xs 
JocRxicv.— Tin;  Start 


i'"R    Tin;    Ixi,.Kxi) 


365 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAI'TKR   XIII. 
Tjik   Journky    Ovkr    tiik    Inland    leic. — Important  Gko- 

GRAl'IIICAI,      DiSCOVIvRIlCS.  — ( 'iRlUCNI.AND      AN       ISLANU. — 
INDKI'KNDICNCI';    HAV.      Till';    RlCTlRN 379 

CIIAI'TlvR   XIV 

Thi';  "  KiTiv"  IN  TRoriii.iv — Tiii':  I'i'.akv  I'vktv  on  lN{;i.i;i'ii;i,i) 
(iri.i'. — Thiv    Ki;i.iick     I'autv    in    Camp. — .\    Muuchi.son 

SolNI)     CiI.ACIlCR.  —  IIlvWV      CALIvS     AND      RoiCH      Iv.X  I'ICR  I- 

i;nci;h.  —  Mr    \'i:uii()i;1'I''   Mi.s.sinc.  —  I'rmi'arations   i'or 

SlvARCH 398 

CII.\PTER    XV. 

TiiH  Si;arcii  i'or  Mr.  Vi:riioi;i  r. — How  rr  Wa.s  CoNin  ctkd. 

—  I'lVlv       CfI.ACIICR       VaM.ICV.— TraC1:S       Ol'     Till'.       Ml.SSINC, 

Man. — I'",vidi':ncks    or    IIi.s    I)i;atii. — .\handonm1':nt    ok 
Tiiiv  Si';ARcn 407 

CHAl'TlvR    XVI. 

T.KAVINC,  McCoRMICK  I5a V.— SoRROWINO  N ATIVK.S.  — NKARLY 
IClMiOlND.  —  .\.  HlCAR  KiM.lCD. — .VRRIVAI.  AT  CODIIAVN  — 
VANKICIv    DOODI.Iv    in    (iRlCICNI.AND. — .\N    AlRORA J  20 

CHAPTl'R    XVII. 

GODTKAAU.— ThK    0I,D    XoRSlOIIIX. — .\n    K.SKIMO    XKW.SI'AI'KR, 

— Fari:\vi;i,i<  to  tiRi:i;Ni,AND .   .       430 

CHAI'TKR  XVIII. 

Thk  "  KiTK'.s"  Ghost.— Thk  Return  to  vSt.  John.s.— Dkpart- 
URK  kor  Philadelphia.— The  Tkiumphai,  Procession  rp 
THK  Delaware. — Reception  by  the  Academy  of  Nat- 
ural Sciences 445 


1 


1 


-"Si 


■^ 


^m 


CONTENTS.  7 

.\ri'i:Ni)ix  I. 

I'm:  ri;AKV-\'i.un(ii.ii-  CiiKui.si'oNiU'Nci.,  anh  ()tiii;u  Mat- 
ti;ks  1\I,i.  a  tinc  th  John  M.  \'i,i{iiiii.ii',  Tiii';  Missimv 
Mi;Miii;i<    (II'   Till-;    1'i..\k%'    Nmriii    (',i<i:i:m..\mi    I'.xi'iju- 

TIKN If. I 

AI'IMvNDIX     II. 
Ln:rr.  I'l: \i<v's   ki;i'oi<r.     'riii:  Scii;ntiik-  Ki;sri.Ts  ni    riiic 

IvM'i;iilTinN  —iMl'dk  r\N  r    CoNCLrSIONS     I)i:i)ici:i)     IKuM 

l)\i'A    AM)    ( )i'iSi;i<\  \ritiNs.        A    Kiaii.w    oi'    rui;\ii>is 

AkCTU      1;M'    'iKATlKNS 4S2 

Till-;  Ri:ci:ri'i(iN  at  rm'.  Ai:ai>i;m\'  hi-  Natikai,  Scii^ncivS. — 

Till';  iNvrn.D  Ciri-.sTs 519 


I.IM-I  1  NAN  [•    ri  AKV    ANII    HIS    CI  IM  PAN  IONS. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Thk  "Kith-  Amono  tmh  Rkros      Fnwtispica-''' 

I.iiirTHNANT  l'i;.\RV  AM)  His  Companions 

Mai  ok  Grkicnt.axd,  Showixg  thk  Locatiox  oi.-  IM:arv's 

CamI-,  with   TIIIC    ROITICS   OF   I'ICAKV,   XORI.KXSKJOI.I,   AM, 

Xa\si;n  ()vi;k  thic  Ixi.axd  Ick ,2 

LlIvlT.   AM)    Mks.    I'ICAKV      .     .     . 

opp.       19 

Cai'Tain  Richard  Pikic 

Tiric  Mi.;miu.;ks  ok  thi.;  Wkst  Grkkm.and  Kxpkditiox  .  opp.      28 

Ax   AllAXDOXIU)    ROAT 

Thic  .Midnicht  .SfX 

opp.      42 

GODIIAVX    .     .     . 

45 

IxsPKcToR's  HorsK,  GoniiAvx 

Chapi;i,  at  Godhavx  ,    . 

52 

XATivr:  WoMAx  Axi)  Cinr.DRivx,  Godhavx 

VOINC.    i;SKIM()   GiRI.S    AXD    NaTIVIv    IIl'T rg 

SToRivHoisi.;  AXD  Groi,.  ok  Xativks,  Godhavx 57 

Bi.Aizv  Daici.  or  Wixdv  Vaijjcv g 

I'l'ICKXAVIK  

KajAK  AXD    I'ADDI.p;   ... 

80 

A  Kajakicr,  Uim;kxavik ,, 

ol 

Dick  Isi.axds 

NiCST  OK   THK.    KiDKR    DfCK ' 

A    :\IlDXI(HIT   SCI-.XI'. 

thk"kitk'  ix  mki.v,u.k  bay ; ; ; ; ;  '^p;  ^^ 

Ix  Arctic  Attiri-     . 

102 

Thk:  Dkad  Pni..\K  I!i:ar     . 

.   „  ,.  105 

A   GRtAT   NORTHKRX    Ici:i!|-Rr, 

_,  log 

Thh  Native  Camp  at  \Vhai.k  Sound ,,7 

9 


lo  //.  L  r  'S  TRA  riONS. 

Kmi'ic  with  Ivouv  Hi.adi'.  ank  Wooukn  Ha.ndlk ii8 

Ivory  Tin ii8 

KSKIMO    KnIV1:S        I20 

I, AMI'    MADI';   (II'    SoAI'STONK 121 

An  Akctic  Ili;i.i.|-.      122 

IvSKiMo  vStoM';  1)\vi;i,i,inc.s   ...               ...  128 

Tin:    I'llAkV    NdUTII    (iI<|;i;NI,ANI)  AM>  WK.ST   f  iKKKNM.AM)    I''.\- 

I'MDITIO.NS   ON    A    I'Lor;                  oj)]).  I30 

Lii;iT.  I'l'.AUY'.s  C.vMP,  McCou.MK'K   Hay 133 

MoiNTAINS    AND    Ta  lil.l'.I.A  NI )    I5ACK    Ol-     I'llAKY'.S    CAMI'         .     .     .  I38 

s.mndiiu.'^  isi,.\n1)      o])]).  146 

Cai'Iv  York          150 

K.SKIMO    HONI'.    XKI'DI.K ...  153 

.\  tikori'  oi'  Cai'IC  York   Ivskimos 155 

i';sKi.Mo  r.o\' 161 

Si.i;i)('.ic 1^5 

NATIVIv   Drii.i 166 

K.\JAK    AND    I'ADDl.i;,    WlIAM'.    SoiND 167 

Row.s 16S 

HoW-CASl'.    AND    OlIVI'.R 1 69 

Arrows  with  lioNM  Siiaits 170 

Arrow.s  vShowinc.  rm;  Splkinc,  oi--  thI';  Shai'T  and  a  Sin<'.i.k 

SmAI.I.    I'llATIIlCR            .                                                          170 

Arrow-hi:.\d  i'rom  thp;  Hayi;,s  1",xi'i:i)ition  ov  1S60  ....  171 

vSricAR  OR  Lancp:       171 

Sri:.\R-i'oiNT.s 172 

Spicar  i'or  Smai,i<  Animals     172 

Harpoon  ok  tup;  .Most  Xorthi;rn  Eskimos 173 

Harpoon-tips,  Capic  York       174 

Attacking  a  Wai.ris opp.  174 

Harpoon  ok  thk  Disko  Nativics,  Showing  thp:  Throwing 

vStick 175 

Harpoon-tip,  Disko 175 

Air-bag 176 

Toys  Madk  of  Ivory 178 

"Buzz  Saw"  or  "Bui.i.  Roari:r  " 179 


njjrsTRATlONS. 


'J'dS     M.k    Cl  I'-AMi   Hai.i,    Cv.MlC 

ClIAK.MS  

N'\l<\VirAI.    IIOKN 

"  AIrtKi;v" 

ki:iii:u<,  IN-  Waicati:  Ciia.\m:i 

I'MI  \K    Ilk    Wd.MA.N's    r.DAT 

A   Hit  uf  (  ;i<k..:m.am.  Suakuv-Disk.-  M.am. 

Sn.NM,  Station     St.  J,,m.ns  HAki...u    .    . 

Kk..  Cut  n.,rsK-,.,K,T.  P.AkVs  HKAUMr    uTKks  '  M.Cuk 

MK'K     I'.W 
WaITINC,    |.()k    A     1,1. AD 
A.SSISTANT(;..V|.;k.\.,k     CAkSTK.NS,      .,K      D.SK..,    IN 


II 

•79 

rSo 

iSi 

IS: 


i'<y 

"I'l''       -MJ 


2JI 
2J9 


TiiN 


Till.     "I'll,. 


:Tll 


'"'■;    "KiTi;"    AT  Tin;  WiiAki-   in    I'iiii.a 


IIiMM,KKv  Ic,.:--T.n.:  "Kitk-s"  FikTUKST  i-.,int  x„kt 
1  111-:  ••  km;  "   in  .McCok.MKK   Hav 
Iei;iii;kc,s  in  Wiiai.I';  Soi  nd 

"  IIoMI-;    .\C.AIN  "  — T 

i>i;i.i'iiiA 

\\  \TciiiNc.   i-ok  Si;ai, 

Mitti;ns  and  I'lk  Coi.i.Ak 

•M(iTiii;k  lAki;V,s  CiiKKi  vs  ^' ' 

■    ■    ■    .    276 

DITION, 


\\ 


27" 


Tui;  SKPAkATiDN    Di;    rin.;    F1...HS-"  1',„.akis  "   i-n,. 

'■^7-'      

St.  Johns  llici-okr;  Tin;  I'ikio 

Tin;  I'lu.sT  Ici;i!i;kc,  . 

\ViNTi;k  IN  Hic.ii  I,ATiTrDi;s 

W.VI.Kl-.S    IIlCAI) 

A  f'.kori-  oi-  S);ai..s 

SiiooTiNc,  Si;.\i, 


27s 
2S9 
201 

294 
296 


o' 


304 
.-,1 16 


An   i;,skimo  I'ii.ot 

('"ODIIAVN 

Ici;-SAii,r\c, ■'" 

SVAKTKN    Ih-K -'"' 

IvsKiMo.s  AT  Ri;i.  Ci.iKi-  llor.si.; \\ ;''"* 

A    WAI.kCS    IIlCKI)                         ■^'•^' 

CaTCIII.NC,   AlK    WITH    XfT                                                  '''^^ 

343 


^2  III  USTRATIONS. 

Kr\i.i;i.Nc.    i.(»u  W'Ai.Kis 

,,  .  354 

1  I.ANII.NC,    A    t.rini'    POST    ON    TIIIC    Ici:-CA1' ,c8 

TlIM    MKI.TIM;    with    t.,,.;,  T.    I'KAKV    on-   TKC    IM   VNI!    Ick      .  ^,6l 

LlIUT.    I'ICAKV   AM)    NoKril    CiRKI'NI.ANT)    I'AKTV    ......  ^6,8 

NORTMKK.V    DSKIMOS— WOMKN    AM)    Cl[IT,!)KKN       ,69 

ICsKlMO    Si, lilt    ... 

r,?> 

iMl'KIOIt    O'.'   AN    IC.r.OO 

.V5 

C.VTCIIINC,    I'ISH    'rilUor<,It   Till'    ICK 

,       ,.  ■       ' .^// 

icic  li.oH  ON  1n(',i,i;mi,i,i)  (\v\,v  ....  ,«, 

,.  3'^  I 

IVSKIMOS'    I'OX-TKAI'    .     . 

,,,,  3»5 

On  Till.;   Mu.MK  Stki.;tch"-Sahjn(;  Ovi:r  TMK   Ick-cap      .    39, 
I'Aci.;  OK  \  (;ui.:i;m..\m)  (;i,.\cii.k .,,, 

Mk.   Mi;i;nA.v.  am.  Damki.,  Tin;  ].:.skimo  Inthri.kktkr  .    .    .    403 
Ici;hi:k(V  oi'i.-  Kohiirtson  V>.\\ 

Chart  ok  McCormick  Day  a.m.  Si-rroundings,  Ii.mstrat- 

I.NC.    TlIIv   vSi:aRCH    1.()R   VlCRlIUKKK 

\  Wai.ms 

421 

N.\T!vi;  Woman  ok  Codh.wn 

A  Troi'iiv  (I'oi.AR   I!i.;ar) 

(lor.TIIA.Mi 

,      ,.  431 

AN  l',.SKiMo  .\i;\v,si'.\n;R  (I'acsimii.i.;) 

IvSKlMo   Col.oR    I'UINTINC,  (FaCSIMII.K) ,., 

Tin.;  I,.\,sT  Ici;iii;rc.    ... 

.\.\(-> 

IlARiioR  OK  .St.  Johns,  Tin:  IIo.mk  r..uT  „k  tiik  "Km.:,"     .    .,49 
Dr.   1'\   a.  Cook  ... 

455 

I'.IVARII    A.STRKP   .... 

457 

Cl-.RIIKICATl-;    OK    SKARCir    FOR    Vkrh,,!.-,],-!.- 467 

John  M.  ViCRiioi.;).-].-  .    .    . 

T  ,  475 

Invitation  Caki.  to  tiik;  Rkcki-tion  Tkndkrkd  I.ikit.  and 

Mr.s.  Pkary 

521 


354 

368 

369 

373 
375 
377 
3«i 
385 
39' 
401 

403 
411 

4'3 

421 

423 
425 
43  > 
437 
441 
446 
449 
455 
457 
467 

475 
521 


1:1 


H'-n 


SHOWIN 
PEARY.  ^ 

Compifei 


CoJth, 


MAP  or  GREENLAND 

SHOWINGTH.LOCATION0.PEARYS  CAMP 
WITH  THE  ROUTES  OP  ' 

PEARY.  NORDENSKJOLDandNaNSEN 

OVER  THE 

INLAND  ICE. 

Compiled  from  Official  sources  for 


.La  no'  Reports'^ 


C  DeSOLAT/OIll 


'■k^^-Ks^ 


CAPE 
rAHEWaLC 


iiHiMHBS&aiisaiiaiB 


PART   I. 


The  Voyage  of  the  Kite 


mMiUBt 


''^. 


nfjttjT.  \t.^.,li.. 


INTRODUCTION. 


IX  1886,  Lieutenant  Robert  K.  Pear\-,  of  the  Enjj^inecr- 
ino-  Department  of  the  United  vStates  Xa\->',  liavin<^ 
secured  leave  of  absence,  took  i)assas;e  on  tlie  steamer 
l-'alcon  from  St.  Joliu's,  Newfoundland,  to  Disko,  in 
Greenland.  The  Falcon  was  bound  on  a  whalinji^  trij) 
to  Lancaster  vSound,  at  the  head  of  P.affiu  P>ay,  but  her 
captain  agreed  to  put  the  lieutenant  ashore  at  Disko 
and  call  for  him  on  his  return  voyage  in  the  fall.  Lieu- 
tenant Peary  desired  to  examine  the  unknown  interior 
ofU.reeland,  and  took  this  means  of  reaching  his  destina- 
tion. In  due  time  he  landed  and  nuide  preparations  for 
his  journey.  With  oul\'  a  single  companion — a  Danish 
otTicer  who,  when  the  I'^skimos  refused,  had  volunteered 
to  aecouipany  him — the  lieutenant  scaled  the  steep  cliffs 
which  ever\wherc  separate  the  known  from  the  uukuowu 
laud  in  (ireenlaiul,  ancl  set  his  foot  on  the  mysterious 
ice  cap. 

.Ml  (ireeuland,  as  iar  as  it  has  been  explored,  with 
the  exception  of  a  strip  bordering  the  coast,  is  one  \ast 
glacier.  What  are  called  glaciers  on  its  shores  are 
merel\'  tongues  of  ice  pusla-d  out  into  the  ocean  l)y  the 
great  weight  of  a  couliuent  of  ice  behind  it.  I'rom  tlie 
extreuie   north    lo   Cape   b'arewell    is  one  \ast  sheet,  the 

15 


i6 


LvrA'onccT/o.v. 


product  of  centuries  of  snow-storms.  This  ice  sheet  is 
comparatively  level,  the  inequalities  of  the  mountains 
and  valleys  bciuj;'  almost  entirely  obliterated  by  the  uni- 
form coatin!^'  of  ice.  Only  the  "gradual  rise  of  the  land, 
from  the  level  of  the  sea  to  an  altitude  of  about  six  thou- 
sand feet  in  the  interior,  is  preserved.  Here  and  there, 
in  the  interior,  mountain-peaks  push  their  way  throu<;h 
the  enormous  blanket  of  snow  and  ice,  but  except  for 
these  landmarks  the  siu'face  is  an  almost  level  plain. 
Across  this  surface  Lieutenant  Peary  made  his  wa>'  due 
east  for  about  one  hundred  miles.  The  journey,  thouj^h 
made  under  u^reat  difficulties,  was  without  dan!.;er  or 
extraordinary  fati<;ue,  and  served  to  confirm  him  in  his 
belief  of  the  correctness  of  a  theory  which  he  had  formed. 
This  theory,  in  brief,  was  that  the  true  way  to  solve  the 
many  problems  which  (ireculaud  otTers  to  i^eo.tjraphers, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  reach  the  most  northern  jioint 
attainable  b\-  man,  was  to  journey  overland  on  its  fro/en 
surface,  instead  of  allemptinj^  to  work  one's  way  north- 
ward alou}^  the  shores. 

It  was  several  \ears  after  this  first  exploration  that  an 
opportunity  offered  to  definitely  prove  his  theor\-.  In 
the  mean  time  Xansen  had  succeeded  in  crossini:;;  the  con- 
tinent from  east  to  west,  althouoh  at  a  i^oint  below  the 
.■\rctic  Circle.  The  re]X)rt  of  the  condition  of  the  interior 
by  this  explorer  a.^reed  with  what  was  fi)un(l  by  Peary. 
A  comparatively  suu)oth  ice  cap  covered  the  entire 
breadth  of  Oreenlaud,  at  least  at  that  point,  and  there 
was  every  reason  to  su]ipose  that  the  same  condition  pre- 
vailed still  farthrr  north. 


ce  sheet  is 

mountains 

'y  the  nni- 
'  the  land, 

six  thon- 

ind  there, 

■  tlirono-Ii 

!^^jM| 

^'cept  for 

'* 

•el  plain. 

3 

wa>-  dne 

-s 

1  thoii^i^rh 
ino-er  (,r 

f 

111  in  his 

torincd. 

olve  the 

'apliers, 
11  point 

f1 

iiorth- 
hat  an 

i 
1 

y.     In 

le  con- 

J 

)w  the 

? 

iterior 

'l 

\-ary. 

entire 

there 

1  l)re- 

It  is  not  necessary  to  detail  the  niodifieations  wliich 
were  made  of  tile  ori.i^iiial  j^lan  projected  1)\-  Lieutenant 
I'earw  His  aim  was  to  attain  the  most  nortlKrn  point 
yet  reached  by  man.  This  was  83^  24'  north  latitude, 
and  was  made  b\-  Lockwood  and  Braiiiard  in  1.S.S2. 

To  do  so  he  required  several  things:  I'irst,  he  needed 
to  be  landed  at  a  i)oint  as  far  north  as  possible,  from 
which  an  expedition  could  start;  then  lie  must  winter 
ill  this  locality,  so  as  to  take  ad\-aiita<;e  of  the  earliest 
possible  opportunity  to  start  on  his  northward  journey: 
he  had  so  to  arrau<;e  matters  as  to  make  such  "caches" 
of  food  and  provisions  in  the  fall  of  the  vear  as  would 
obviate  the  necessity  of  carryiuo  with  hini  all  the  sup- 
plies that  ini.<;ht  be  necessary  for  the  jouriie>-;  fiiialK-,  he 
must  provide  some  means  of  retreat  to  a  civilized  settle- 
ment, whence  he  could  carry  back  his  parlv,  together 
with   any  records  t)f  discoveries  that  he  niioht  make. 

To  the  expedition  he  was  willing-  to  contribute  his 
private  fortune,  but  more  would  be  recpiiied.  In  order 
to  ])rosecute  his  researches  he  needed,  besides,  the  i)ul)lic 
su])port  of  some  distin<,niislied  institution  and  leave  of 
absence  from  the  ,oo\eriiiiieut. 

(Government  aid  was  out  of  the  (luestion.  The  sad 
result  of  the  (',reel\-  e.\-])cditiou  had  been  too  receiuK'  an- 
nounced to  warrant  any  ho]H'  of  help  from  that  quarter. 
The  lieutenant,  after  several  rebuffs,  lectured  befon-  the 
American  ( ieoi^rrapliical  .Societv  of  Xew  York  and  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia.  lie  en- 
listed the  sympatlu- of  and  receiwd  such  substantial  sup- 
l)ort   tVoui   these  bodies  that  the  expedition   was   finally 


1  H 


i8 


/\VAU)/)r(//i).v 


sc'iU  tinder  llic  auspices  <;t"  the  lasl-nained  institution. 
The  desired  leave  of  absence  was  obtained,  and  friends 
of  the  lieutenant  and  the  AcacL-niy  provided  the  funds. 
It  would  tie  dinicnlt,  if  not  altosa-ther  unnecessarx',  to 
explain  how  the  ori<;inal  plan  of  Lieutenant  I'earv  to 
reach  his  desired  point  and  there  deposit  the  supplies  he 
would  need  was  modified.  l{ventuall\'  it  was  determined 
to  send  out  an  exploriui^  expedition  by  the  .\cademy  of 
Natural  vScienccs.  This  expedition  was  to  charter  a 
ship,  carry  Lieutenant  Peary,  his  j)art\-,  and  such  mate- 
rial as  he  deemed  necessary,  and  land  them  on  or  about 
the  shores  of  Whale  .Sound  or  In<;lefield  Gulf,  in  latitude 
7(S'^  north,  and  there  leave  them.  On  the  return  voxage 
the  Acadeniy  party,  accordin.y;  as  time  and  opportunity 
permitted,  proposed  to  make  investi.y;ations  of  the  land 
and  its  natural  history,  and  brinjj^  back  such  specimens 
and  information  as  mi*;ht  be  of  value  to  the  Academy. 
The  sujiplies  for  the  projwsed  inland  journex-  and  the 
means  of  returninj^  to  civilization  were  to  be  provided  by 
the  Lieutenant  himself.  These  included  a  su])ph-  of 
provisions  sufficient  to  last  his  party,  after  the  landin.ij 
had  been  made,  for  at  least  ei<j;hteen  months,  exclusive 
of  the  fresh  meats  which  he  mi,<j;ht  obtain  on  the  voya^^e 
or  at  his  camp.  A  portion  of  the  ship's  supjily  of  coal 
was  also  left  with  him,  and,  besides  this,  buildin,i;  mate- 
rial s'.ifficient  to  construct  a  small  house  was  carried, 
to.i^ether  xvith  two  lari^e  whale-boats,  fitted  for  dra<;<4inj^ 
over  the  ice,  ro\vin,i;,  and  sailini^,  in  which  the  retreat 
of  the  jxirty  was  to  be  attempted  in  the  summer  of  1892. 
He  had  also  a  full  .supply  of  scientific  instruments,  snow- 


■m 


1 


•'•^ 


f' 


tA 

> 

ad 


U 

a 
0 


> 
< 


S 
u 
to 

H 


y, 

O 


r. 
2: 


/\/A'()/>/  i  //OX. 


J') 


sliofs,  imjilctiK'tits  fiT  Iiunliii},',  etc.,  nnd  warm  clotliiii};. 
lie-  had  li()])i.(l  to  Mi])])It.iiR'iit  his  supijlits  by  llic  ohlaiii- 
iiiL;  <il'  ICsUimo  <;;ui(k's,  doj^s,  and  skdj^cs  al  (lodliaxii. 
In  this  he  was  disnpiJoiiitcd,  as  were  also  liis  expecta- 
tions, to  some  extent,  in  the  snpph-  of  Iresh  meal.  ( )thiT- 
wise  all  that  he  desired  was  taken  to  McCormiek  I'axand 
left  on  its  shores. 

'IMie  leader  of  what  is  <^a'nerally  known  as  tlie  I'eary 
l-'.xpedition  adopted  the  title  of  the  Xorth  (ireenland 
Ivxpedilion  of  1S91-92.  Tlie  Academy  parly,  therefore, 
dislin,<4nished  itself  as  the  West  (ireenland  Ivxjieditioii 
of  iS()i.  lioth  expeditions  were  under  the  command  of 
I.ienlenant  Peary  until  lie  left  the  \essel.  Later,  the 
West  (ireenland  Expedition  was  in  charge  of  Professor 
Anj^elo  lleilprin.     The  personnel  was  as  follows: 


North  CiKi-;i:xi.A.\i)  Ivxri'.DirioN  oi'  iS9i-(j2. 

Licntcnant  R.  Iv.  Pearv,  the  commander  of  the  Xorth 
(ireenland  Ivxpcdition,  is  a  native  of  Pennsyhania,  bnt 
has  lon<2^  been  a  resident  of  the  .State  of  Maine.  He  is 
abont  forty  years  of  a,i,fe,  and  spare  bnilt  bnt  hardy.  lie 
occnpics  in  the  oovernment  service  the  position  of  ci\il 
eni^inecr,  l)ein<j^  attached  to  the  Xav>'  Department  with 
the  rank  of  lieutenant. 

His  wife,  Mrs.  Josephine  Diebitsch  Peary,  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Washin,y;ton,  I).  C,  and  is  a  mend)er  of  a  well- 
known  fainil\-  of  that  cil\ .  She  accompanied  her  hus- 
band on  his  perilous  jonrne\-,  and  has  remaim-d  over 
winter  at  the  northern  headtpiarters.  .She  is  probably 
the  first  white  woman  to  winter  in  such  a  hi<;h  latitude. 


3 


ao 


/\/-AUi/>f\-/V().V. 


I/iiij^doii  dihsoii,  of  I'Mushiiij^,  Loul;  Island,  is  about 
twenty-four  \i-ats  of  aj^v,  \)v'\n^  tall  and  nuisiMiIar.  aii<l 
acted  j^eiicralK'  as  Litiitfiiant   IVary's  chief  assistant. 

ICivard  Aslrnp  is  a  N'orwcj^ian,  and  had  onl\  li\fd  in 
the  Ignited  St;itcs  for  a  few  months  when  he  volnnleend 
for  the  cx])cdition.  He  is  skilled  in  the  use  of  the  "ski," 
as  the  pectdiar  snow-shoes  of  Norway  are  called. 

John  M.  N'erhoefT  is  a  native  of  Lonisville,  Kentucky, 
and  acts  as  the  niineraU)<j[ist  of  the  part\'. 

Dr.  I'\  .\.  Cook  is  the  snrj^^'on  of  the  part\',  and  a 
^radnate  of  the  Colle^a-  of  IMiysicians  and  ,Snrt;eons  of 
New   York. 

Matthew  Ilensen,  who  acted  as  Lientenant  lVar\'s 
servant  on  the  hitter's  trip  across  Xicaraj^na,  accom- 
panied him  to  the  North.  He  is  an  active,  intellij^ant 
yonn<^  colored  man,  and  was  formerh'  a  resident  of  Phila- 
delphia. 


WKST    (iUKKM.AXl)     Iv\I'i:i)I'ri()N. 

Prof.  Anj^clo  Heilprin,  the  leader  of  the  West  (ireen- 
land  Ivxpedition,  was  the  cxccntive  cnrator  of  the  Acad- 
em\-  of  Natural  Sciences.  A  native  of  Anstro-Hnn<;ar\-, 
but  lonjj^  a  resident  of  Philadelphia,  his  reputation  as  a 
<j;eolo<;ist  is  world-wide.  He  is  the  author  of  numerous 
works  which  are  acce])ted  as  standards  on  the  sul)jectsof 
<^eolo<jy  and  ,y;eneral  natural  historv. 

Professor  IJenjamin  .Sharp  ac'.:M';ipanied  the  expedi- 
tion as  zoolosj^ist  in  char^^c;  Ik-  is  the  corresponding:^ 
secretary  of  the  Academy,  a  .graduate  of  the  Tnixersity 
of  Pennsylvania  and  of  Wurzburg,  and  had  made  a  special 


/.\   / /yU>/ >/■(■//<  I.V. 


-'I 


cad- 
ir\-, 
IS  a 
ous 
^of 

ii'di- 

■sily 
■cial 


stii(l\  of  iiu t rli.l)ialf  zooloj^y  at  llu-  Xaplcs  Zoological 
Slalioii. 

riotVsx)!-  j.  1".  Unit  is  iIk'  Professor  of  N'atiiial  Ilis- 
tcUA  ami  Ihj^iiiu'  at  the  (V'litral  Ili.uli  Sfliool  nl'  riiiladcl- 
pliia.      lU'  accoiiipaiiifc  ilu-  i-xpi'dilioii  as  its /.ooloj^isl. 

I)r.  William  i'"..  IIui^lus  was  tlif  oriiitlittlov;ist.  Ik' 
was  liktwisc'  a  ,i;radiiatf  of  tlu-  riii\iisity  ol'  iViiiisyKa- 
iiia,  and  a  wc'll-kiiow  ii  piai-tilioiiir  of  im-diciiu'  nf  I'liila- 
(k'll)Iiia. 

Mr.  lA\i  \V.  Mi'ii^il,  till'  ttil(tmolo,nist,  is  a  ivsidi'ut 
of  Riadin^,  riuii^N  1\  aiiia,  and  is  will  kiniwii  as  a  rol- 
kc'tnv  of  k'pidoplira. 

I  )r.  William  II.  Iliirk,  thf  botanist,  was  a  ^radnati'  of 
till.'  CniwiNity  of  IV  nns\  l\ania,  and  is  onf  of  tlu'  asso- 
(.-ialr  cilitors  of  the   IMiila<l(.'l])liia   /'///'//'(    /.^ v/;v/-. 

Mr.  .Mrxandrr  C.  Krmaly,  a  son  of  tlu'  crliliralud 
nu'ndni-  of  Parlianiinl,  was  (k'taiUd  li\  llu'  .\',  a'  )-'//• 
Ihiahi  to  ac(.'ompan\'   tlii'  fxpcditiou  as  its  corrispond- 

Llll. 

Mr.  lM-,i/.(.r  .\shliurst  is  a  nKinlur  of  a  wrll-kuown 
riiilack  Ipliia  finiily.  and  accompanird  tlu-  (.•xptdition 
tliron..;Ii  a  lo\r  of  advriilnrc'  and   tra\cl. 

Dr.  Rolifrt  X.  Kicly,  Jr. ,  tlu-  suri^ron  to  the  rxindi- 
tion.  was  a  i^radnati'  of  the  Jflfrrson  Midical  Colk^i.'  nf 
IMiihuk'lpliia,  and  had  liad  an  vxtL^nsiw  fxprriiiici.'  in  the 
lios])ilals  of  Paris. 

Till'  nicnibfrs  of  the  fX]n(litiou  wtiv  coin])arati\cl\- 
yonnt;  nu-n,  l)iil  all  acTuslonu-d  to  trawd.  TIu'n-  fornud 
a  most  C(  iimaiial  coriipan\\  and  lasting-  friendships  were 
tornied  on  the  lonij  \-o\a''e. 


ftW^avirl-: 


22 


i.\  rk'(Uu '(  //D.v. 


Tlir  rxi.r.liti,.,,    left   Ili.M.klvn,  X.  V. ,  011  ju,u- Ml,,  ,,„ 
tlu-   Arc-lie-  wlialin-  slc.inur   AV/,,  wliiili  I,a,l  Ihci,  c|,ar- 
U-n-,]   lor  llu-  i.urjM.si.  fn.iii   r,.,\vrin.-   lin.s.  ..f  St.   lohu's, 
Xc-wtoundlaiKl,   I.v   tlu-   Aradcinv    ..f    Xatnial     Srinu-cs,' 
with   a  nvw  (,r  lHuvn  men,  iuc-IiuliuM  d,,,  captain.     SIu- 
ivtiinir.l  t,.  St.  joliirs  .,11  All-list  2,vl.      Tlu-  I'can   i.artv 
lia<l    luvii    laihK-.l   at     Mc-Cniiic-k     Ilav,    in    latitude-    ;; 
■  \y  n.ntli,  and  llic   iiuiiiIkis  „r  tlu-  \\\st   Crcniland    Kx- 
IH-diti.,n  nlnnu-.l   t..   I'liiladc-lpliia  In    wav  ..f  Ilaltinuuv. 
i)nrin.-    tlu-   v(.va-c-   tlu-  rxpcditioii  had    ratlu-r  rxcrp- 
ti<'"al  I'.ic-ilitirs  InrrNauiinino  ,|„.  hahits  and  nistoins  of 
tlu-  natives,  csprc-iallv    tlu>sci,,  1  lu- \  iciuitv  of  Capr  N'oik. 
Tlu-v  JH-lnn-  t..  a  nu.si  inl.-rcst in-  racr,  and  tlu-  lartsdis- 
ruvrivd  nuuvniino  tj„.„i  w,H    .vpaid  tlu-  altrnlion    thus 
'K'v..tr,l.       I,ai-c-    nnnilK-i.    ..f   (-11,  iusitic-s,    wrapmis,  dn- 


•ack    Ironi    tni-st- 
"1  in  tlu-  In]],, win:.;  i>a.L;\-s 


iiu-stic  iitriisils,  and  t(.\s  wen-    hinii-h 

distant  it--i()ns.      Tlu-  discripti, 

is,  tlu-u-lo,v,  ,,(.1  nu-ivl\-  a  naiiatiw  ,,ra  \  ..n  a-c,  l.nl  in 

c-IiuK-s  alsn  s..nu-   acconnt   of  tlu-   native-,  and   tlu-ir  nis 

Idins. 


f 


-'I 


THE  vova(;h  oftiiiv  -kith." 


CIIAI'TJ'-.R    r. 

TnKSTAKT.     r\i-r\iM>iisi:      oi  k  rK,:u       Tin:  I, an ■  i:^  \s- 

-■i:>.'m:      Akiuvm,  \tSm,m;v.     Cmjs,.  ,:,,k  ,11;.  \u^  a,,,;. 

A  T  ''I-.  wric-  <.rr  In,  the  Airlir  n-ions.  ;nul    locked  ,,nr 
1.1.1   0,1    Xrw    Vuik    li;„l..,r   while,    ilu.  ,.,,,,,,1    ,,,.,, 
.'hv,.vs   ussciiihl.-s    ,„,    a    wharf  nii    mu-I,    orrasjons   .^avc- 
Ii^-.iMx-  c'lurrs,  .111.1   I'ounlKss   skaiu-wlii^l  Irs   a.l.K,l   -luir 
Huisx    lauwdls.      The-   ship   dial  was   t..  ram    us  llinlur 
w.i-    Ih'.     AV/,,    ail    Aivli.-    straiii-wlialn    an<l    s.aln     ,,|- 
l\v.>   liiiinhr.l  a, 1.1  ci.^hiv  t,,iis,   whirli,   lli.„i...li  .inall,   was 
^"'"'"••''''^    '"'"^■•1    ^""1   -i<-i..;.u-.l    r.,r   th..-    pmpnsc-.    '  Slu- 
w.i.   Urhuiralh    kii.,wii   as   a   hark, ut  in.-;   ihal    is   I.,   sav, 
''■"'■'''    "l"^"'^'   -''■'-   ""    Iht    r.Mvmast,    will!,,    iju-   uunu- 
^"1,1     nii//rn-ii,aMs     w.av     ^  ri.^.^cl     I,.,.-     aii.l     al!'-     ,,, 
>Hio.„UT   iash„,„.      SIu-    was  a   siaun.li    lillK-  vcss.l,  ,,,i,l 
wrsn.Mi  hanu-,1   I.>a.liii,,r   lur   s^au.,,  I  liiiass  a.   u.H    ;,s 
'"■'•  >t.vii^ili.      TlK-   assi.iaut    cn^nuri,    M,,    MrKmKv. 
■di-w.-.l   us,  s.HmaHullusi;,,-!  was  nia.K-,  l„.w  lu,   l„,w,' 
'■•'■  six    .„-   ri^ht   Kri    hark   Inm,   t  h,-  p„  ,w,  was  a   ,iiass,,|- 

^'■'i^;  !i"\v  lur  liiiiiHi.,  cii, Mill. Mis  r,„  ihr  .i/,-  ,,r  ii,r 

vcssd,    Nvea-    h..llc.l    an.l    kcAcl    l-.^.tlu.,  ;    |„,w    Uu-    ui- 


24 


/.\'  .lA'c'/vc  s/:.is. 


jj^iiR'S,  1]i()Ul;Ii  small  and  coiiipacl,  were  fulh'  C()in])ctent 
for  llic  scr\icc  tliL'\-  wrrc  to  prifonn;  lold  us  liow  the 
prdpc'lU'r  ^vas  of  ])ull-nK-tal,  bL-iii.^  dc-c-pK-  suukni  to 
a\-oi(l  (lan.i^vr  iVoiii  lloatiii.^  icr  ;  and  (.-xiilaiiRMl  oiIkt 
points  about  Ikt  that  \vf  appreciated  much  mure  fully 
when   the  attack  on   the   ice  bcpau. 


cAi'iAiN   i;i'  II  \u:'  iiKi., 


Of  all  the  shiji's  conipa.ny,  I  particularl\-  admired 
Captain  Richard  Tike.  lie  \\a^  the  mo>t  expeiieuced 
ice-sailor   on    lioard.      Ilesides    haxin^    made    mauv   xoy- 


■I 


'nil-:  ]())\ !(,/■:  oi-   ////;  av//-;. 


I 


niiii.ll 
Iciu'c'd 


a.q'cs  as  ri  wliak-r  and  sralrr,  1r-  liad  llu-  Iioiior  to  l)c' 
niaslrr  of  llit.-  /'/-('/(/is  wlicn  il  carried  ilu'  nntortnnalc 
(irc'd)-  cxpL-dition  lo  its  winlLT  Iioinc  al  I'orl  Con^c-r, 
ill  iSSr,  and  had  also  carried  n])  tin.-  cxiicdilioii  of  Ij't-n- 
Uiian!.  ( iarliii.nlon,  whicli  allenipUil  lo  ixdiexc  (IrcLlv 
in    i''^'^,v  ill   IIk-'  saiiK'  \(.-ssel. 

(  )n  that  jonrii(.-\-  tlic  /VvAv/.v  was  cnisln.(l  in  the  ice 
near  Ca])c  Sabine,  July  .2_^,  iSS:;.  'Idle  \oya.i;ers  ne\er 
tired  of  ha\-ini;-  the  old  captain  tell  of  this  terrible  ad\eii- 
t'lre,  nor  of  his  really  wonderful  retreat  to  rperna\ik, 
lra\'e!liii,n-  six  hundred  miles,  in  open  wliale-hoals,  across 
a  sea  filled  with  ic(.-])er.i;s  and  lloe  ice.  It  wa>  often 
iiecessarx',  he  sai<l,  to  nnload  the  l)oat>  and  drai;-  tluni 
o\'er  lon'4'  stretches  ol  ron^h  ice  for  miks  to  reach  an- 
other lead,  then  transport  their  pro\ision<,  and  lauiudi 
the  boats  aL^ain  in  the  tortuous  pas.^a^e-  of  tlK'  Mcl\ille 
\\:\.y  ]>ack.  'Idiis,  of  conrse,  was  a  se\ere  task,  and  too 
oftLii  when  coiii])leted  would  be  loiiiid  of  little  ad.wmla^c- 
to  their  proL^ress.  He  said  that  he  lUA'ta'  lo>t  heart  but 
once.  Thi^  was  aft(.a' a  da\' of  sewie  labor,  wluii  the  boats 
had  been  drawn  nj"  on  ;m  iceberg-  and  the\-  ]ire]Mred  to 
"cinip,"  if  cainpiiii;  it  could  be  called,  fi>r  a  hard  >toMn 
of  --leel  and  hail  wa>  ra^iiiL^,  ;uid  it  \\a->  impossible  to 
build  au\-  hre.  .\s  tlie\-  weix-  about  to  lie  down  to  sKep 
on  the  ice  lluax'  w(.ae  ii inn i'^iak able  >i^ns  ol  tin-  I'nllap-'e  of 
the  iceber:^.  The  work  wa>  all  to  do  owr  ;iL;aiii.  Tliev 
iiiust  load  and  laiincli  the  boat,  and,  pnll  off  in  llie  storiii\- 
Sea  for  a  safer  restim;-i)lace.  'Idii-'  tlie\  fiiiiKl  at  la^t  on 
an  ice-lloe,  ;nid  tlu'  UK'n,  worn  out  1i\  their  labor,  threw 
themselves  down  with  sc,irci.l\  .in\  preparation  and  went 


26 


A\'  ,lk'C/7C  s/:.is. 


fast  ask'cp  at  once.  lie  himself,  he  added,  was  "too 
tired  to  sleej),"  and  in  utter  niiser\-  and  tlespair  sat  up, 
tliinkin^-  of  lionie  and  family,  until   they  awoke. 

On  reaehin*.;^  Upernavik  they  were  well  treated  by 
the  Danes,  and  in  a  few  weeks  were  lujuieward  bound 
on  the  United  vStates  vS.  .S.  )'<vi/i(\  which  was  to  have 
accompanied  the  Proteus^  but  had  Ijeen  unable  to  force 
its  way  thronj^h  Melville  liay. 

Captain  Pike  was  a  txpical  Xewfoundlander,  and 
thoutrh  nearl\'  si\t\'  \ears  of  at;e  was  as  active  in  mind 
and  1)od\-  as  manv  men  of  half  his  \ears.  His  face 
beamed  with  <4"eniality  and  i^ood  nature,  and  though  his 
whitened  hair  and  ru.^'^ed  face  showed  marks  of  the 
hardships  he  had  experienced  as  a  whaler  and  sealer,  it 
was  yet  frank,  ojien,  and  intelligent,  as  a  s^ood  old  sea- 
captain's  fice  out^ht  to  be.  All  of  us  re])osed  the  utmost 
confidence  in  him,  his  directions  and  advice  bcini^  strict- 
ly obe\ed  and  followed  without  (|uestiou  b\-  everxoue, 
inclndinf;  Lituteuaut  I'eary  himself.  IK-  was  a  L,'ood 
navii^ator,  and  did  his  best  to  impart  some  of  his  know- 
ledge to  "his  boys,"  as  he  affectionatch-  called  the 
younger   members   of  tlu-  expedition. 

It  was,  howLAcr,  for  his  friendliness  and  ]x\tieuce  that 
we  admired  him  most,  .\lwa\s  j.';enial  and  e\cn-tem- 
l)ered,  whether  the  shi])  was  jammed  in  the  ice  in  Mel- 
ville I)a\'  or  tied  up  to  the  wharf  at  vSydney  or  vSt.  John's, 
wdiethcr  the  sea  was  smooth  or  rou^h,  his  manner  toward 
us  ne\er  chan<4ed.  ( )n  deck  he  was  the  ex]>erienced 
Arctic  seaman,  e\er  walchlul  for  danger,  \  et  e\'er  scorn- 
in;^'  peril  ;  between  decks  he  was  a  lu-arl\',  whole-souled 


that 
k'ln- 
Jel- 
|n"s, 
anl 
lcc-(l 
pril- 
led 


I 

51 


/■///•;  I'd): !(,/■:  o/-'  ////■:  k/ii-:. 


27 


companion,  oUk-r  in  }cars  bnl  youni^cr  in  >piiil  than  any 
one  of  ns. 

IvKvard  Tiac\-,  ihccliief  mate,  was  an  excellent  na\i- 
!Li;ator,  with  lart^e  experience  in  tra\el  in  icy  seas,  lie 
was  e\cec(lin,<4l>'  watchful  and  attentive  to  his  duties,  hut 
nevertheless  found  time  to  instruct  and  entertain  us. 
Patrick  Dnmphy,  who  acted  as  second  mate,  was  a 
stnrd\'  ice-pilot,  and  steered  the  ship  through  the  nandw 
and  tortnons  passages  in  the  ice-pack  with  great  >kiil 
and  discretion. 

We  had  two  engineers,  William  Jardine  and  his  assist- 
ant, Alexander  McKiuley.  Mr.  Jardine  was  a  man  of 
superior  knowledge  and  large  experience.  At  lir>l  he 
was  somewhat  reser\e'l,  hut  after  he  had  become  thor- 
oughl\-  accpiainted  with  us  showed  his  coiii])auiiiiia- 
hilit\'  as  well  as  the  lorce  of  his  intellect.  Ik'  was  an 
(.■xcelleiit  metdianic.  as  was  :ilso  his  assistant,  Mr.  Mc- 
Kinley,  who  likewise  was  whole-souled  and  g'uial. 
Their  ahilitx  and  .skill  are  shown  hv  llie  fad  thai,  al- 
though the  engines  of  the  Kilt  wire  niau\  \(.ars  old.  and 
rcjieatedh'  sulijected.  in  the-  course  nf  the  \ii\age,  lo  the 
most  sever*.-  strains  at  hrjtf  iiuervals.  iVoiu  full  sjii'ed 
ahead  to  full  sp(.'ed  asl(.'ni,  tin-  entire  run  of  more  than 
six  thousand  miles  was  made  with  oul\-  a  single  stop- 
page for  re])airs.  and  this  oiil\-  di.la\'ed  us  about  an  hour. 
It  w.is  to  their  watcht'ul  care  aloue  that  this  most  satis- 
factor\'   ri-sult   was  due. 

.\  lull  list  of  the  crew  was  ;is  follows  :  Cai'tain.  Rich- 
ard I'ike;  chief  mate.  I'.dwaid  TracN';  sieoiid  mate.  Pat- 
rick  Dumphy:  chief  engineer.  William  Jardine;  second 


28 


/A'  .lA'C'/VC  s/:.is. 


eii^iiicL-r,  AkxandcT  McKinlcN';  steward,  Lawrence 
Hacke-ll;  assislanl  steward,  Patrick  Wel.sli;  conk, 
Tlioiiias  Pfellcr;  scaiiR-n,  'J'imotliy  'i'ooiK'v,  Tlionias 
Collins,  John  Ciniiniin^,  John  W-rs^c;  fnx'nKMi,  Andrew 
Roost,  I'Mward  Crook,  John  Cnnnin^liani. 

Tlu-  \()\a,L;e  from  liriw'klyn  to  Xortli  Sxihu-y  was  nn- 
f\eiitfnl.  ( )ncc  in  a  while  sonu'  one  wonld  remind  ns 
that  the  land  we  saw  was  histiK'ic  or  romantic,  bnt  we 
were  far  off  sIkmv,  and  e\en  tlu'  reminder  of  the  fact  that 
we  were  passint;  the  home  of  I'Aan^eline,  where, 

"  In  ll'.r  lian  1  iikI,  ciii  the  sIkut  of  tlie  liasin  nf  Miiias, 

\)i<  1      .iilrd,  still,  tlu- Hull.' villa,L;\- 1)1"  ( irand  Tie 

I.a\  ill  a  tVuilful  vallt.-\ ,  " 


failed  to  .Lrou>e  entlui:  i  ism. 

W'e  wen.-  compelled  to  enter  either  St.  John's,  Xew- 
fonndland,  or  S\(lne\',  on  Cape  lireton,  to  ohtain  a  snpiilv 
of  coal.  The  latter  port  was  SL'lec-ted,  lor  sew-ral  ri  :,^ons. 
There  is  a  >mall  anionnt  on  the  northern  side  of  I  )i^ko 
l>]and,  ( Greenland,  lint  it  is  of  |ioor  ipialitx'  and  shaley, 
and  there  are  no  pr<i])er  nK-ans  of  ohlainim;- it.  It  was 
of  course  prek'rahle  to  coal  at  as  far  northern  a  point 
as  possihk'.  This  we  ap])recialed  more  fnlh'  when 
tlu'  hold  and  e\eii  the  liel ween-decks  of  the  /\'/7r 
Were  fdled,  with  what  was  by  no  means  an  exlra\aj.;ant 
snpph'. 

.\s  the  harbor  of  S\(lne\-  was  entered  we  had  onr  first 
chance  to  exaniint'  cb  isel\'  the  shores  of  a  strange  conntry. 
At  first  ll.U  and  dnll,  the  >CLner\'  became  more  and   more 


awivncc 


cook, 


Th 


oiiias 


Audi 


e-\V 


was  1111- 
miiid   lis 

,   1)111    \V(J 

fad  thai 


lin; 


'le 


IS, 


\ 


(.W' 


I  supiiK- 


■»-    tS(  Ills. 


I) 


i.sko 


sliak'\- 


It   was 

|i    ]»oiiit 

w'Ik'U 

Kilr 

Iwiuiaiil 


|r  hr.sl 


liiiilr\-, 


lllOlL' 


K  !■  ^  K  *  1  \  . 


Till-:  m»';miu:ks  di-  'n\\\  wkst  «;ki*:i':ni,am)  i-.xi'i-.i»ith>n. 


i 


'MHW— 


////■;  I  \)  )'.!(,/■:  (>/■'  I  III:  kite. 


29 


]->icturcsf|UC  as  \vc  sailed  nji  llic  Iiarhor.  I'olli  sliorcs  arc 
liij^li,  and  llic  hi'lts  ot  stralificd  rocks  aiv  clear  and  dis- 
tiiicl.  SaiUislDiic,  limestone,  and  coal  alternate  in  Itiny, 
nearly  liorizontal  la\ers  on  llie  opposite  sides,  and  the 
o;rcen  snnnnits  are  further  emhellislied  by  prettN-  little 
clinrclies,  whose  s[)ires  tbrnied  a  series  of  beacons  on  e\'er\' 
])rojectin.i;  clilT. 

The  town  of  vS\(lney  is  divided  1)\-  vSpanish  \\a\  into 
three  distinct  settlements,  Xorlli  vSydnev,  vSonth  vS\(lney, 
and  vSydney  ISar.  These  ])laces  are  six  or  si.\en  miles 
apart,  and  luue  distinct  local  <;c)\ernments  and  po.-'- 
offices,  but  are  usually  classified  together  as  S\(lne\-. 
A  little  steaud)oat  plies  from  one  to  another  e\ery  half 
hour  tlirou,i;!i  the  da\',  so  communication  is  easw 

()ur  ship  la\-  at  \'ictoria  Piers,  near  .South  .Sydue\-, 
where  coal  is  easily  secured  direct  from  the  mines.  Some 
of  our  part\  went  to  vSouth  .Sydney,  but  a  majorit\-  took 
the  steamboat  tor  Xorth  vSydnex',  just  across  the  bay. 
Disai)pointed  at  not  t^ettiui^-  mail  at  the  post-office,  we 
wandered  through  the  town,  purchasiiu;-  little  items  of 
supplies  which  had  bi'eu  forgotten  in  Xew  \'ork.  A 
vSalvation  Arm\-  meetiiiL;-  in  the  stret'ts  attracted  us  s(  lUie- 
what,  but  otherwise  the  \illa!^e  was  dull  and  uniuter- 
estiui;-. 

The  next  da\-,  lMida\,  was  eiitireh-  consumed  in 
fiUiii"^  the  coal-bunkers,  the  members  of  the  two  exjiedi- 
tions  in  the  meantime  enjoyiu^'  themselves  in  \arions 
directions.  vSonie  visited  the  settlements,  while  others 
exi)lored  the  natural  history  in  the  \  icinity  of  \'ictoria 
Piers. 


3'^ 


/.\'  .lA'c/vc  s/:.is. 


Ill  tln'  aflfnioon  llu-  water  of  tin.'  l)ay  looked  so  [ileas- 
aiu  and  iiuitiiii^r  uid  the  sun  was  sliinin.s,'-  so  l)ri,i,ditly 
that  six  of  us  took  a  phui.^c-,  hut,  as  iiii<;lit  liavc  hecu  ex- 
IKTted,  the  water  was  found  to  be  icy  ojld,  and  a  very 
short  exi)erience  satisfied  our  hJn<'•in'^s. 


I 
'■5 


1 


CIIAI'Tl'.R    11. 


Chmssinc.  Till-:  C.ti.i'  til'  St.  I, awkiinli:.     <)ii(  Imrst  ki".     An 
.\nANi)()Ni;ii    lliiAT.     In   tiii',    Mii  ..t  oi'   riii';  1m, oi;      Ni.w 

lOlNlU,  AMI     1'"ISIII;KM1;N.       ()1-1'     I'OU    CAI'I-;     DIXiI.AIIuN. 

^T  71"<  left  Sydney  at  >>.t,o  v.m.,  June  i2tli,  the  nio;Iit 
»  V  l)L'in_or  clear  and  the  water  smooth.  The  sln'i) 
had  heeii  heavily  loaded  with  coal,  ha\in<.,'-  taken  on  one 
hundred  and  eijj^hty  tons  additional,  which  was  piled 
e\  erywhere.  The  hold  and  hunkers  were  full,  and  llure 
was  also  a  lar^e  anioiint  on  deck,  alto,L;etlier  making;  three 
hundred  and  twenty  tons,  sufficient,  it  was  hoped,  to  lake 
us  uj)  to  the  far  Xorlh  and  return. 

Sleaniin,^-  aloui:;  the  east  coast  of  Ca]ie  Iheton  Island, 
Svdney  harbor  was  left  behiinl  and  wt.-  passed  into  the 
(lulfof  St.  Lawrence.  The  onl\-  thinj^  we  saw  during 
the  day  was  an  American  fishin*;-schooner  which  was 
lyiUL;-  at  anchor.  This  was  the  last  \essel  sighted  un- 
til the  harbor  of  (lodhaxn  in  (ireenland  was  reai-lied. 
Toward  e\-enin,t^  the  wind  ;uid  wa\es  rose  and  the  ship 
])itche(l  and  rolled  hea\il\-,  niakin^  man\-  of  the  ])art\ 
seasick  and  the  decks  wet  and  nnconiforl.ible.  The  next 
day  the  weather  had  moderated  somi'what,  but  the  water 
was  still  rou_i,di. 

We  had  b\-  this  time  jiassed   the  entrance  of  the  Clnlf 
of  .St.  Lawrence  and  were  approachin!^'  the  western  coast 


/.\-  .ih\-//c  s/:.is. 


(»!'  .\«.\vU)Uii(llaii<l.  As  wr  iKMifd  tlu'  I.iml  \\\v  sliorc  was 
stTii  to  he  ni.i;i;c(l  and  picUnvsiiiU',  with  patches  of 
\-fr(hti"c'  coiniii",;;  to  lla-  water's  cdj^e.  ^hlll\■  small  land- 
birds  i-anK'  ahout  tliL-  ship,  and  siAiral  lij^hti'd  oil  it,  hut 
only  tvniaiurd  a  short  tiiiu-  and  tlu'U  tk-w  landward. 

All  that  day  wc  sailed  aloiii;  the  N'ewrontidiaiid  eoast 
with  land  constaiUh-  in  si^ht.  Ni.^lit  coniin.i,^  on, 
hroii!L,dit  fo}^  witli  it.  This  was  so  dense  that  it  was 
necessar\-  to  keej)  the  Iol;- whistle  l)lowiii,i;  until  nioriiiiij4 
in  order  to  warn  any  possible  lisherinan  that  iiiii;ht  be 
crnisini;-  in   the  vicinity. 

In   the  niorniii''   the  weather  was  stiii   fo<'ij:\-,  and  at 


about  7  o'c 


lock 


sexeial   pieces  of  ice  a  few  feet  in  diain- 


and  was  stroii'-K'   si 


eter  were  seen   iloaliiijij^  ])ast  the  ship.      This  caused  con- 
siderable  excitement,   because   it   was  the   I'lrst   ice  seen 

•esti\e  of  fiitnie  ic\'  experiences. 
We  had  hoped  to  pass  throtiL^h  the  Strait  of  I'elle  Isle  and 
into  the  Xorth  Atlantic  uniin])e(Ied  by  ice,  because  of 
IIk'  favorable  reports  ol)tained  at  vSydney  as  to  the  strait 
beinj;  well  open.  It  had  l)een  re])orted  as  iKU'i.LjabU: 
a  conple  of  weeks  before  ;  but  within  an  hour  after  see- 
ing; the  ilrst  small  piece  we  ran  into  liea\-\-  pack-ice — so 
heav\',  indeed,  that  we  were  unable  to  steam  throu.^h  it. 
The  thickness  of  the  weather  ])re\-eiUed  any  sii^lit  ol 
the  ice  beiii!^'  obtained  before  it  had  barred  our  ])roj^ress. 


Thi 


s,    our  first   \iew  of  what   is  known   as   lioe  ice,  was 


ll( 


hi-dil 


y  ini])ressi\e 


It  was  in   the   form  of  larue  masses 


jammed  ti<;htly   to>;ether,    movin,^-   up  and   down  with 


the  w 


:ives 


and 


ijrindinL'"  auainst  ea.cli  other  witli  a  ( 


ith 


lull. 


nimblinu',  mournful  sound,  resemblin<'  surf  breakiiuj  on 


/■///;  I  (>)!(,/:  !>/■■  I  III    Kill'. 


^S 


k 


I 


I 


;i  l(iiul\'  shoiT.  Tlu-  --i.^lit  i>r  tlii'-  iiiiiiuii--i.'  .minimt  of 
icr  >i>  Midil  al'UT  K;i\  iii'^  lllr  i[liirl  wains  ut  S\iliu  \  I'-.lN 
alliiiiil  u>  i[uiU'  iiiai  kidly,  and  ,^a\(.'  us  soiiu'  slight  (.dii- 
c\  plioii  t'l  what  iiii.L;lit  l>r  (.xptrUd.  \  iVw  sra-i^tllls  lliw 
aliiuU  lirif  and  iIkii',  I'oiitriUutiiii^  to  llu'  \\i.iiiIiu->>  nt" 
llir  >f(.iir.  'I'll  add  ti)  tlu-  .^liKiui,  tlurr  was  siiii,  souu" 
distai'ax'  aluad,  an  ahandoiicd  huat.  W'lu  ni'f  it  canir  no 
(PUf  kiuw  It  was  c\idiiilly  a  rislictniairs  \awl  wliicli 
liad  1)1111  i-ul  llin>iiL;li  1)>'  tlu'  ii'i'  and  rasl  adrift.  It  was 
a  poDr,  useless  wail  in  a  sia  of  di'solalion,  and  wt-  coiild 
not  l>Mi  (.-.xin iiLiicf  a  partly  snjKTstitious  Urlin^  as  wi- 
pa»td  it  by.      Was   it  a   symbol   ol"  what   nii.i^lit   occMir? 


\ 


rill     \l;\\l"  iM  |i   !;■  I  \  I  . 

\\'f  rrUK'nihrn-d  {\\v  dreadful  talrs  wi-  hid  all  re-, id  of  tlu- 
fnial  out  con  ir  of  so  niau\-  Arctic'  cxpi-'ditions.  iml  ihoin^hl 
ol'  iIk-  nuinhcrs  of  laithful  uku  who  had  lo^t  tln-ir  ]i\rs 
1)\'  such  an  accident  as  ha<l  oNcrtakcu  this  l)o:ii,  Scnti- 
nunt,  howcwr,  had  hut  little  enduring  plaix'  in  -~uch  a 
practical  conipanw  \\'(.'  stcauu-d  a<  near  as  po^sihU'  to 
the  castawa\-,  hut,  findiui:^  no  e\ideniH-  of  life.  K'ft  it  to 
its  fate  and  ai^aiu  made  our  wax  toward  the  opi'ii  water 
tlial  skirled  the  ice'-tloi.-,  hojiiui^  1)\'  so  doin;^  to  liud  a 
clear  clianne'l  wliiidi  woidd  enable  us  to  pass  tlu-  strait 
and   euieri^e  on   the  open   >ea. 

The  whole  da\-  was  spent   searching   in  \ain  for  sucdi 


tuiJwm.uiiJBrBrf^'nnKg.-Kifca-.-s^T'^ 


34 


/.\'  .lA'c/vc  s/:.is. 


a  channel,  ,t^oin,Lj  ])ack\vanl  and  forward  from  one  side  of 
llic  strait  to  the  otlier,  bnt  nothin.i;  was  acconiplislied  ex- 
cept the  obtainin.ij;-  of  views  of  the  h)nely  shores  of  Lal)ra- 
dorand  Xewfoundland.  One  channel,  indeed,  was  lonnd 
which  ajipeiired  to  lead  to  o])en  water  hcNond,  bnt  after 
following'  it  a  conple  of  miles  we  ftMind  onrsehes  a^a  n 
blocked.  The  ice  (|nickly  closed  hi  behind  ns,  and  we 
were  nnalde  to  adxance,  onr  retreat  was  cnt  iAT,  and  there 
was  l)nt  little  jjrosjx-ct  of  beint;-  able  to  escape  tor  sexeral 
da\s.  W'e  were  in  the  narrowest  part  of  the  Strait  of 
IJelle  Isle,  it  beinj;-  here  bnt  nine  miles  wide,  and  at  this 
])oint  the  ice  comin,!:;  from  the  north  becomes  jammed 
and  interferes  seriouslv  with  na\-i,nation.  Onr  jonrnev 
conld  scarceh'  be  said  to  have  commenced,  as  we  wire 
onK'  in  the  latitnde  of  52  north,  while  f)nr  nltimate 
destination  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  7S'.  In  other 
words,  we  had  accom]dished  less  than  one-third  of  the 
distance  wc  had  desii^ncd  to  i^o,  and  this  the  easiest  ])or- 
tion  of  the  jonrney,  yet  we  were  apparently  com])letel\- 
blockaded  and  with  no  \-isible  ]irospect  of  release.  .\t 
times  the  ice  wonld  open  a  little,  vlun  some  sli!:;ht  ad- 
vance wonld  be  made.  Small  clear  patches  of  wati'r  were 
seen  here  and  there,  and  on  these  were  r  unbers  of  dncks. 
The\'  were  so  tame  and  nnaccirsionied  to  beini;-  molested 
as  to  allow  the  ship  to  ajiproach  cpiite  close.  We  shot 
man\',  and  fonnd  them  a  desirable  addition  to  onr  ordi- 
nary diet. 

Later  in  the  da\-  the  fo^'  disajipcared,  and  we  fonnd 
onrsehes  clo.se  to  the  Xewfonndland  shore.  Here,  near 
tlie  ed'-e  of  the  water,  were  seen  several  small  lionses  or 


■^ 


« 


■////:  ro):  !(,/■:  o/'  ////;  av//;. 


35 


:UI- 

•cre 
-;s. 

lot 

li- 

111(1 
ar 
or 


liiits,  (.■viik'iitK  those  of  the  nali\(.-  Xrwfouiullaiul  fislKi- 
iiKii.  A  l)i)at  ciintaKiiii!^'  three  iiieii  put  oil  from  sliore, 
aiiii  alter  eonsiderahle  exertion  in  working  through  the 
ice  siK'ceeiled  ill  eoiiiiii;:;  alongside  the  A '/A.  'IMux' 
staled  that  main  of  the  people  were  sick,  and  some  had 
(lied.  The  disease  appeared  to  he  epideiiiie,  and  from 
wliat  couM  he  learned  iVoin  them  we  judged  it  to  he 
analoL^ous  to  that  known  to  us  as  *' intlnenza.'"  They 
said  no  ship  had  reached  the  settlement  for  many  months, 
and  that  they  were  sadls'  in  need  of  assistance.  After 
lia\  ini^  a  Ioiil;  talk  we  ,<;a\e  them  some  medicines,  and  tluy 
left  ver\-  i^ratefnl,  taking-  aloiii;  letters  from  se\-eral  of 
the  part\-  Lo  mail  home,  as  a  ship  was  expected  to  call  in 
ahdUt  tell  davs.  These  letters  were  recei\ed  all  rii^llt  1)V 
the  parlies  to  whom  the\'  were  addressed,  hut  only  after 
a  loni;  dela\ ,  for  the  strait,  as  we  afterward  U'anied,  was 
clos(.'d  for  maii\'  W(.'eks. 

After  our  visitors  had  departed  we  made  another  des- 
perate attempt  to  ,L;et  the  ship  throu.^h  the  ice,  hut  wiiv 
ai^aiii  uusnccessful.  In  defiult  of  an\thint;-  hetter  to  do, 
we  resorted  to  fishing'  throui^h  the  fissures  or  leads  in  the 
ice,  and  succeeded  ill  catching  a  niimher  of  lari^e  codfish, 
which  furnished  a  line  mess  for  sujiper  and  sii])plie(l  ns 
with  iileiit\-  of  ^ood  f  )o(l  for  the  morrow.  Captain  Pike 
a>--ui\'(l  us  that  we  would  haw  ]>leiit\  of  ^aiiu-  and  fri  sli 
meat  on  reachiiiL;  (  iicenlaiid,  which  of  course  was  wvv 
(.•nconra^iiiL;-  information.  The  nuMl  ohtaiued  at  .S\diu-\' 
was  liuiii,^  u]^  from  the  cr(»s-lrees,  as  the  wiMther  was  suf- 
ficieiuK-  cold  to  ]ivi.'>cr\e  it  willioiit  re(iiiirinL;-  to  he  stored 
in  an  ice-chest. 


;: ij^-i...^.._,.^ 


36 


/.\'  .lA'C'/VC  S7:.IS. 


Ilavin.t;  found  it  iiupossil)le  to  proceed  onward,  the 
ship  was  fastened  to  a  lars^e  floe  on  which  was  a  j^ood- 
sized  pinnacle,  for  the  purpose  of  securin<>;  enou<;li  ice  to 
replenisli  cnir  water-tanks.  The  sailors  were  some  lime 
in  cuttin^^-  and  slorinj;-  lar^e  pieces  which  were  to  be 
melted  as  fresh  water  was  required.  While  th<y  were  at 
work  our  ])arty  wandered  over  the  ice,  indul^inL,^  in 
snow-ballini^  oik-  another  and  taking-  photo<j;-raphs. 
.Several  ^ood  pictures  were  obtained  of  the  vessel  as 
seen  from  the  ice-floe,  and  on  our  return  to  the  ship  we 
all  enjoNed  a  ^ood  su])per  of  fresh  codfish  and  jiotatoes. 
To  the  north  and  south  ice  was  seen  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach;  to  the  east  was  the  Xewfouudland  coast,  and 
on  the  west  were  the  bleak  shores  of  Labrador. 

Ni«;ht  setting-  in  found  us  still  fast  in  the  ice,  with  the 
weather  j^etlin^-  colder,  and  we  were  ^lad  to  seek  the 
comfortable  cabin  with  its  cheerful  coal  fire.  The  sound 
of  the  ,t;rindin,L;'  and  .^roanim;-  ice  was  our  lullab\-  that 
niu;ht.  Xone  of  us  regarded  our  position  as  serious;  in- 
deed, the  ca])taiu,  who  was  an  old  sailor  in  Arctic  seas, 
told  us  that  it  was  a  usual  thin.^-  up  this  wa\-,  and  was 
owiui:;  to  a  late  sumuuM".  We  were  all  satisfied  with  this 
explanation,  and  only  ea^er  to  escape  from  our  imprison- 
ment. ( )ii  OIK' of  the  two  followin;.^- da\s,  while  still  in 
the  ice-pack,  some  of  the  part\"  \isited  a  lart^e  iceber:.;' 
about  four  miles  awa\-  from  the  \essel.  The\-  returned 
(piile  tired  and  exhausted,  as  clinibim;- oxer  the  ron^h  ice 
was  no  eas\-  task.  T1k\  had  remained  ;iwa\' so  lon^' and 
the  weather  became  so  fo,L;i;\-  that  the  captain  yrew  nu- 
eas\-  as  to  their  abilii\-  to  find  the  wa\'  back.     Two  of  the 


% 


ii'i 


////■;  I -()): !(,/■:  of  ////•;  a///-; 


37 


X(.'\vfi)nii(llaii(l  sailors  were  just  al)i)iil  startiiis;-  in  search 
of  Ukiii  wIku  tlK\'  were  (H.-^cerned  approaching.  Had 
ihe  Uy^  been  a  little  cjuicker  in  coniin!,;-  up,  tlie\-  wonld 
]irubablv  Iia\e  found  it  impossible  lore.^ain  the  ship,  and 
would  ha\e  had  to  remain  on  the  ice  all  ni.^ht.  This 
illustrates  one  of  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of  Arctic 
travelling,  and  served  to  warn  the  less  exjterieneed  of  the 
risks  incurred  in  wanderin.i;;-  loo  far  awa\-.  Later,  the 
weather  havin<;  cleared,  it  was  found  possible  to  force 
the  ship  a  few  miles  further  through  the  pack,  and 
by  workin.i;  all  ni<:;ht  about  lhirt\-  additional  miles  were 
made. 

At  this  season  of  the  year,  in  these  latitudes,  daylij^ht 
be<4ins  at  2.30  A.  M.  and  lasts  until  9.30  p.  m.,  so  there 
was  much  more  time  to  see  to  uaxi.^ate  the  shij)  than 
when   farther  south. 

A  strong-  wind  afterward  sprint^injj;-  up  from  the  south 
moved  the  ice,  and  the  ship  with  it,  in  the  direction  we 
wished  to  j^o.  By  tliis  time  we  were  (opposite  the  light- 
house on  Cape  Xornian,  which  is  the  north-western 
c.\tremit\-  of  Newfoundland.  Althou<,di  surrounded  b\- 
ice,  and  the  temjK'ratnrc  at  40  de.nrees  I'ahrenheit,  it  did 
not  seem  at  all  cold,  and  we  were  able  to  be  out  on  deck 
in  our  shirt-sleeves,  with  no  heavier  clothiniL;-  on  than 
when  we  left  home.  This  feeling-  of  warmth  was  attrib- 
uted to  the  retlection  of  the  sun  on  the  ice,  and  the  ex- 
planation was  made  to  appear  all  the  nuire  ])lansible  ])\ 
our  i^a-ttini::^  much  sunburnt  during  tlu-  time  of  our  con- 
liuement  in  the  ice-floe.  vSooii  after  the  sun  went  down 
the  air  became  markedh"  colder  and  the  thermometer  de- 


3« 


/.V  .lA'C/VC  S/C.IS. 


scciuled  to  ahout  or  below  frcezin<^-point,  inakinj;  us  all 
appreciate  the  comfortable  quarters  below  decks. 

The  ice  now  became  more  broken  and  loose,  and  at 
daylight  we  a.i^aiu  endeavored  to  force  our  way  throui^h 
the  floe.  A  strong  wind  from  the  sduiIi  ha\in<;  come 
to  our  aid,  assisted  us  in  our  pro<;ress.  Hy  noon  we  had 
reached  the  southern  end  of  Belle  Isle.  The  li,s;ht- 
house  on  the  bluff  ran  up  the  British  flaj^,  which  courtesy 
was  returned.  Belle  Isle  is  situated  at  the  northern  end 
of  the  strait  bearinji;  the  same  name,  and  is  a  bold,  rocky 
island  one  mile  wide  and  nine  miles  lou_t>-.  The  only 
buildinj^s  on  it  are  two  li_i;hlhouses,  situated  one  at  each 
extremity,  north  and  south.  There  is  also  a  buildinj;; 
near  the  southern  li.H'ht,  containiuj^  supplies  to  be  used  in 
case  of  shipwreck.  The  li<;ht  on  the  upper  end  of  the 
island  is  the  nuist  luirthern  one  on  the  eastern  shores  of 
the  .vmerican  continent,  there  bein,u^  none  in  (irecnland 
or  Labrador.  The  former  place  is  only  accessible  in  the 
summer  months,  and  is  situated  .so  far  ufath  that  durini!^ 
that  season  there  is  continual  daylirjht,  and  thus  the 
necessity  f<».   a  lij^hthouse  does  not  exist. 

The  keepers  of  the  lif^ht  at  Belle  Isle  must  have 
looked  upon  us  as  the  harbiut^crs  of  summer,  as  the 
captain  said  that  our  ship  was  undoubtedh*  the  first  one 
they  had  seen  since  the  previous  year,  navit^ation  closim^ 
ill  those  waters  early  in  November.  We  were  all  anxious 
to  };()  ashore  to  leave  letters  for  any  passim^  vessel  that 
ini^ht  call  and  take  them  on  their  wa\-  south,  but  were 
unable  to  venture  out  on  account  of  the  dau<^er  of 
attempting  to  force  a  small  boat  thnKigh  the  loose  and 


////■;  I  (>):!(,/■:  or  ////•;  ay//-; 


39 


.■s  ot 

land 

tlic 

the 

lave 
the 
one 

ions 
;liat 
\xre 
of 
and 


dan<;cron.s  ice  intcrveuiiit;-  between  ourselves  and  tlie 
sliore.  This  ended  onr  ho]x>  of  sendin.ii,^  an\-  fnrther 
eonnnnnieations  home,  nnless  we  happened  to  liave  the 
>;oo(l  hick  to  eneonnter  a  sliip  on  its  way  sonth. 

As  soon  ;is  tlie  strait  is  kin)wn  to  l)e  open  this  ronte  to 
the  river  and  (inlf  of  St.  Lawrence  is  taken  l)y  merchant 
and  fisliin.!^  \essels,  ])ecanse  it  is  the  shortest  l)etween  the 
Old  World  and  the  Xew.  At  this  season  of  the  year  it  is 
<;enerall\'  avoided,  bnt  on  onr  return  voxat^e  we  ])assed 
several  \essels  bonnd  to  the  strait  for  cargoes  of  cod- 
fish. These  are  cani^^ht  and  dried  1)\-  the  fishermen,  and 
afterward  shipped  to  points  in  the  West  Indies,  Central 
and  .Sonth  America,  and  ICnrope.  Ivirly  in  the  season  it 
is  coniparati\el\'  rare  that  ves^^els  attempt  to  force  the 
dan|!;erons  i)assagcs  of  the  vSlrait  of  I'.elle   Isle. 

There  was  a  ]K)ssibilit\-  of  onr  nieetint;-  vessels  bonnd 
from  the  far  Xorth,  bnt  this  was  extremely  .m])rol)able  at 
this  period  of  the  year.  Ahnost  the  onl\-  ships  that  trav- 
erse what  is  known  as  the  (ireeiiland  .Sea  are  whalers 
on  their  wa\-  home  late  in  the  season,  and,  farther  north, 
a  few  from  Denmark  [o  their  colonies  in  (ireenland. 

Our  CDurse  was  set  a  little  west  of  north,  heading  for 
Cape  Desolation,  which  is  sonuwhat  to  the  westward  of 
Cape  I'arewell,  the  most  sontlu-rn  exlri'initN'  of  (  irec'ii- 
land.  The  passage  across  (irrmland  ,Sea  was  e\pecte(i 
to  be  accomplished  in  from  six  to  eii^ht  (la\s,  provided 
no  (k'tention  was  occasioiKtl  1)\  the  lev.  which  mi^ht  be 
encountered  at  an\'  time,  and  the  winds  wrri'  fudrable. 
TIk'  water  beim^  clear  of  Hoe  ici',  wi'  steamed  at  about  ei^ht 
knots  an  hour,  haviii!.;  the  wind  in  nur  fa\or.     The  look- 


—^^"p'l^^f-*"-^- 


40 


/.\'  .IAX//C  s/:.is. 


out  was  stationed  at  his  post  in  llic  bow,  watchinrj  for 
icc'ber<;s.  Xi.i;lit  was  coming'  on,  and  as  scxcral  had 
been  s(.'c-n  L'arlv  in  the  day,  we  feaivd  that  there  nii,ij;ht 
be  otliers  in  our  palli.  The  ni.^ht,  forlniialely,  was  clear, 
and  tlie  moon  .^ave  plenty  of  lis^ht,  so  that  ])y  keepin.i;-  a 
sharp  watch  ahead  an\-  ai)proachin<;  ])erL;s  could  be  seen 
in  time  to  avoid  a  collision. 

With  earl\-  dawn  came  a  north-west  wind  wirich  in- 
creased all  day,  until  by  ni.^htfall  it  was  blowinj^  a  };ale. 
Our  heavih-laden  shij)  was  still  deep  in  the  water,  not 
cnou<jh  of  the  coal  having-  yet  been  used  to  lij^hteu  it  to 
any  appreciable  extent.  The  lar<;c  amount  of  coal  on 
deck  rendered  the  ship  more  unwieldly  than  it  otherwise 
would  have  been,  and  it  pitched  and  tossed  fri<;htfully 
in  the  lar^e  waves  which  ever\  now  and  then  liroke  over 
tlie  sides.  Kverythini^  above  was  cold  and  wet,  and  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  stay  on  deck  with  any  deforce 
of  comfort  or  even  safety.  Many  were  a<^ain  taken  sea- 
sick, antl  sought  their  bunks,  not,  however,  to  enjoy 
much  rest,  the  tossiny;  of  the  little  ship  renderin<j  tiiat 
inipo.ssible. 

The  j^ale  kept  up  all  ni<;ht,  and  vSunday  foinid  it 
more  violent  than  ever.  The  cook's  «i^alley,  a  small 
house  on  deck,  was  nearly  washed  away  by  the  sea,  and 
so  damaj^ed  as  to  re(|uire  repairing;  before  it  was  possible 
to  obtain  any  cooked  food.  As  many  were  seasick,  we 
were  not  •greatly  ajjjitated  over  the  accident,  knowing' 
that  we  would  not  want  anything  from  that  quarter  for 
a  cla\-  or  two.  The  gale,  after  continuing  about  three 
davs,  at  last  began  to  subside.      It  was  remarkable  that 


I 


^ 


that 


lircc 
that 


iii-i 


////:  ro). !(,/■:  oi-  iiii:  kiii:. 


41 


ill  these  hit;h  latitudes,  where  one  would  expect  con- 
tinuous cold,  as  loii!^  as  the  sun  was  shining  the  air  felt 
balmy.  To  he  sure,  the  sun  onl\-  hid  himself  lor  three 
hours,  and  a  few  (la\s  later  we  had  his  j)resence  all  nii;ht. 
I'litil  II  o'clock  ]'.  M.  one  could  easily  read  ordinary 
])i"int   on  deci<:,   e\en  at  this  early  stage  of  the  vo\age. 


:-M 


cii.\r'ri-:R    iii. 

l-'insr    Siciir    or    ( ii<i. inland      Ici.iii.KCS.      hisKo    Isi.wn  — 

Al(KI\\I.    AT    tioIHIWN.       \lSir   (ir   i;SKI.M(iS.       I)ININ(,  Willi 
Tin:    CiOVl'.KNOK.       .\\T1\1.     llris. 

Ox  jniK'  i^l.  toward  (.xxniuin.  w.'  caught  our  first 
si)nlit  of  (inrnlaiid.  Tin-  land  was  iiiaii\-  miles 
away,  appt-ariiit^  as  a  narrow,  dark  cloud  on  llir  horizon. 
All  lliron.yii  the  lon.^  Arctic  twili.^ht  wc  steamed  toward 
it,  the  outline  hecoinin^i:  niorc'  irre.L;ular,  hut  the  ])eaks 
still  seeiniii.ii'  as  far  off  as  e\er.  What  we  saw  were  the 
iiU)untain-to]is  hack  of  Cape  Desolation,  ami  at  this  loui^ 
distance  it  seemed  to  (leser\e  the  name  which  it  bore. 
Rnj^iJUed  ])eaks,  o\ershado\vcd  1)\'  a  cold,  dead  sk\',  were 
all  that  we  could  distinguish;  on  ai^proachin;^-  nearer, 
howe\er,  we  had  our  first  ^lim])se  of  how  beautiful  an 
Arctic  scene  nii^ht  be.  A  \ast  mass  of  iceberi^s  of 
lanla.-tic  forms,  man\  of  which  niii^ht  be  compareil  to 
cnurch-spires  or  ruined  castles  covered  with  snow,  were 
encountered.  Their  varied  form-^  pleaded,  us,  and  we 
remained  on  deck  until  late  in  the  exinini^  admiring- 
them;  but  the  most  beautiful  si^hl  was  one  that  ])re- 
seiiled  itself  later,  when  the  moon  rose  and  illumined 
with  her  silwr  li.^ht  their  snow-clad  clilfs.  As  we  jiassed 
them  one  after  another,  the\-  loomed  up,  ink\-  black, 
a;^ainst    the   twilight    sk\,    and   had   a   weird    fiscinatioii 

which    ke])t    us  (Mi   deck    for  niaiu'   hours. 
ii; 


i\n. 


(.   Willi 


ir  first 

iiiiks 
)ri/,()!i. 
oward 

]K';iks 
IV  the 
s  Inw^ 

1)()IV. 

\\\']X' 

arrr, 
ail 

of 

(1  to 

.vre 

wc 

iiiiii^- 

piv- 

iiK'd 

isscd 

ack, 

tioii 


illh   MUiNUaiT   .-il  N. 


''— "■  -nif 


A^ 


////•;  \())\ !(./■:  *'/•■  ////■;  a///;. 


43 


Tlu'sc   ic-cbcrj^s,   as   CaptMii    I'ikt-    iufoniu'd 


us,  were 


frai^iiK'nls  of  i^lacicrs  on  the  castcni  slioiv  of  (iii'(.iilan(l, 
wliicli,  s\vt.])t  aroiui'l  Caju-  I^aicwcll  by  the  octaii  cur- 
ixiits.  sail  sliiwh  up  the  westeru  coast  uulil  (klkc'l(.'(l  h\- 
Ur-  iL;tcat  Arctic  currents,  and  are  carried  down  the  cast 
coast  of  North  America  to  the  ()i)en  Atlantic.  ()nl\-  the 
lars^cst  and  oUlesl  of  these  her^s  sur\ive  their  lon^  jour- 
iu\  ;  the  rest  are  melted  and  dissipated  by  the  warm 
water  and  air  which  they  meet  as  they  float  southward. 
Those  that  remain  are  the  terror  of  the  transatlantic 
seamen,  for  they  float  in  the  direct  course  of  tin.'  shortest 
possible  route  between  the  .L^reat  points  of  departure 
of  the  two  continents.     When  these    frnt^ments  ol"  the 


ireat    ice 


■ileet 


are   met  wi 


til,  th 


le   mi'ditv  steauur  is  in 


i^reat  j)eril,  and  the  captain  shows  his  sense  of  her  dan- 
ger by  his  constant  watchfulness  and  extreme  care;  but 
the  AVA  beinj;-  of  different  build,  Cai)tain  Pike's  jilacidity 
was  not  even  disturbed  for  a  moment  b\'  the  si^ht  of 
these  monsters.  Xotwillistandiujr  the  abundance  of  ice- 
beri^s  which  la\'  in  our  jiatli,  the  ship  kept  on  her  course, 
except  that  the  ice-pilot  would  occasionally  throw  o\  er 
her  helm  to  avoid  what  he  called  "kuockiiVi^  her  loolh- 
]iick  out  of  her  mouth  " — that  is  to  sa\-,  losiii,L;  her  Jib- 

boolU. 

The  ji^rcat  procession  of  berfjs  continued  all  ui^ht,  but 
as  the  ship  reached  the  desired  jioiut  opposite  Cape  Des- 
olation, and  her  course  v  as  turned  northward,  the\-  were 
i^radually  left  behind  and  sailed  majesticalh-  on  their 
juurne\-. 

After  passing  Cape  Desolation  we  had  beautiful,  warm, 


^11  /A'  .  /A'(//('  .sv;. /.S'. 

siuisliim  \vi.allur,  ;ill(»\viii;^f  lis  to  bf  on  deck  all  tlif  linu'. 
'JMu'  (Liy>  wiif  \(.T\  aj^rc'LMhlf,  and,  liaNinL;  now  cro>>M.-(l 
the  Amii-  Ciicli',  \vi'  WLTr  ta\()r(.'(l  with  rontinnon>  day- 
Hl^Iu.  This  ciiahUd  n>  lo  sff  all  thai  wa>  passinj;  at  an\- 
tinir;  IiMl  ha\in!4  no  darknrss  alTccti'd  lis  strannfly,  \nn- 
diK'iiiL;  siu'h  a  kilin^  of  wakilnliK^s  thai  it  was  hard  to 
till  W  IkMI  Wf  oiii^ht  to  .i^o  to  slcTp. 

At  this  tiiiK'  wi.'  \\v\v  passing;  aloiiii;  iIk'  wrslcrn  coast 
of  ( ircT'iilaiid,  which  was  onh  twenty  niilis  distant,  its 
rn,n;^cd  outlines  hcin,^'  clcaiK'  Nisiblc  in  the  hrilliant  snii- 
sliiiie,  while  the  to])s  of  its  snow-clad  nionntains  were 
(lislinctl\-  outlined  against  the  bine  sky  in  the  distance. 
The  iniinense  icebeii^^s  which  were  constanll\-  i)assin<4  al- 
wa\  s  interested  ns.  'i'heir  e\er-chanjnin<j;  forms  and  beau- 
tiful clear  bine  color  were  ne\er-ceasinj4  objects  of  coin- 
nieiil,  and  constantl\  challenj^ed  unr  admiration.  The 
coiitinnoiis  da\li,i;lit  and  radiance  of  the  sun,  together 
with  the  ma^niliceiice  of  the  ber^s  and  the  anticipation 
of  still  mole  wonderful  re\elations,  so  aroused  ns  that  it 
(lestro\ed  all  desire  for  sleej),  and  made  lis  fi-el  as  if  we 
were  on  a  siimnur  pleasure  trip  at  home,  rather  than 
steamini;  amidst  the  ice  of  Arctic  seas.  The  island  of 
Disko  was  sighted  on  June  25th,  in  the  afternoon,  .iiid 
althon.iL^h  se\enly  miles  distant,  it  was  nevertheless, 
owin,>4  to  the  clearness  of  the  atmospliere,  distinctly 
visible    to   the    unaided   e\e. 

(»n  this  island  is  situated  (iodhavn,  the  principal  set- 
tlement of  Xorlhern  Danish  (ireenlaiid.  This  settle- 
ment is  on  the  south  side  of  the  island  of  Disko,  in  lati- 
tude ()i)     \-'.      It   is  about  half  a  mile  from  the  sea,  and 


\^\ 


I  III.   \  ov.  K.i:  oi'  I  III.  hi  ri: 


45 


IIU', 


;i\'- 


\\\\ 


MO- 


t(. 


ast 


un- 


•rc 


ai- 


lU- 


lic 


R-r 


on 


It 


i<)  <•(. 


I 


di 


t  a  ;;(i()(l  aiU'liDiaL^c'  it  is  nrf(.'ssar\-  lo  tiiUr  tlu-  fiord 
iKi\     'IMir  sitlUimiU   i>  not  \i>il)lc 


l)a\-  for  \\w^  (li>la 


iVoni   llu'  oct-an, 


htin''    !ii(l(Kii   li\  llu-   nmnnlains  at   llii- 


i|  111  WN. 


fiilvancf  of  llic  fiord;  iiuk-i-d,  were  il  not  tor  llu'  Iwu 
>tone  beacons  ])lace(l  to  mark  llie  spot,  one  would  liaN'c 
ln'i-n  liable  to  lia\e  ])a»c(l  it  by  nnrc-co.^ni/ed.  Codliaxn 
\\a>  the  fir>t  ])lace  at  wli it'll  wc-  called  after  lea\-in^  S\(lne\-. 
'ilie  scene  at  the  nioiiih  of  the  harbor  was  trnl\-  nia.L;nif- 
icent.  three  lar^e  iceberL;s  ^eenlin^  to  j^nard  its  entrance; 
one,  about  three  hnndied  U'ct  in  len,L;th  and  a  hundred 
and  fift\  feet  ill  liei<'lit,  was  shaiied  like  an  imnieiise  arch, 


tf  llflllill 


46 


/.V  .lA'CT/C  s/:.  IS. 


with  an  oprniiit;  lart^e  cti()u<;li  to  pennit  the  ])assa<;e  of 
a  vessel  the  size  of  our  own  with  topmasts  lioused.  I'-fom 
the  level  of  the  sea  to  the  top  of  tlie  arch  was  (piite  sev- 
enl\-  feel,  and  it  was  as  rej^ular  and  Ijcautifnl  a  semicircle 
as  ever  seen  in  our  lari^a'  stone  hrid.^es  at  home.  The  pale 
blue  ice,  with  its  surface  coxered  with  snow  and  frozen 
hard  enon,^;h  to  <;listcn  in  the  niorniu!:^  sunlij^ht,  sur- 
passed in  color  and  beaut)"  anythin<^  that  man  coidd 
form  from  purest  marble,  and  was  a  sij^ht  never  to  be 
forgot 'en. 

On  our  arrixal  in  fnjut  of  the  town  a  wliale-])oat  left 
the  shore,  manned  by  half  a  dozen  natives,  who,  com- 
iui^  aboard,  j^uided  our  ship  to  a  safe  anchora_^e  o])]')osite 
the  (.governor's  house.  Some  of  these  men  spok-.  a  little 
Huf^lish,  which  had  been  acquired  diu'in.t;-  the  \isits  of 
whalers.  I'.y  means  of  iheir  small  stock  of  this  lano;na,!L^e, 
eked  out  with  additional  sit^us  and  gestures,  they  in- 
formed us  that  our  vessil  had  been  si^^hled  .several  hours 
before,  b\  some  of  their  companions,  from  the  mountain 
hei'dit  adjacent  to  the  village. 

The  harbor  of  (iodh.ivu  is  laud-locked,  and  is  as  sim;^' 
and  pretlx' a  little  hari)oras  one  e\-er  .sets.  On  the  north 
side  the  mountains  re.aclu'd  o\er  three  thousand  fri.  t  in 
hei^hl,  lluir  lops  beiuL;  co\-eied  with  snow  and  ice. 
Toward  ll.i.'  base  ihey  were  greenish  in  color,  wliich  was 
due  to  a  scanty  growth  ot  uu)sses  and  lichens.  There 
was  not  a  tree  to  be  seen  anywhere;  iiulced,  we  soon 
learned  th.il  in  (ireeuland  trees  as  \vt- know  lliem  dt)  not 
exist.  To  the  soulh  the  t^round  was  low  and  roekx',  and 
ni  the  water  b.'soud  a  nuud)er  of  icebergs  couh'  be  .seen. 


« 


////:  !() ).!(,/■:  (I/-   ////■:  a///;. 


47 


irs 
lin 


Tlic  land  cniUaiiK'fl  t-noui^li  soil  to  furiiisli  subsistence 
U)  a  small  anioinit  of  veyvlation,  which  a<l(lt.(l  a  |irctl\- 
imicn  to  the  lan(lsca]ic. 

Tlu-  anchof  was  dropped  and  a  >aliite  Inc-d,  which 
was  respoiidid  to  1)\-  one  from  tlu-  lan<l.  and  Captain  I'ike 
with  Lieutenant  TearN  and  I'roL  Heilprin  went  ashore 
and  called  on  the  inspector,  Mr.  AndiiMn.  'Idle  letter 
of  intrcxlnction  from  the  D.uiisli  mini'^terat  Washim^toii, 
together  with  other  ])a])ers  r.xjilainim;  our  mission  in 
(Greenland,  was  shown  to  him,  a.nd  hv  receixid  the 
visitors  \er\-  pleasantly,  hojiin^.;-  that  their  sla\  at  <  iod- 
ha\n   would   he  an   enjo\al)le   one. 

.\fter  their  return  to  the  ship  r,i-arl\  ,dl  tlu-  p.irt\- 
landed  and  ]>roceeded  to  iu\-estij.^at(.  the  xilla^e  and  sur- 
ronndin;.^  conntr\ .  Tlie  few  reniaiuiuL:  ou  hoard  rec-ei\t.il 
a  \isit  from  the  nati\'es,  who  came  to  the  >hip  to  trade 
and  i^raiife  their  curiosilw  TlieN-  ])ro\i'd  >o  inttre^tinu; 
tlial  I  decided  to  sla\  aboard  al'  mornin;^-. 

The  first  si^lit  of  the  I'',skimo  is  disa])pointin!^.  It  is 
true  that  the\-  are  stpiat  in  figure  a;id  .swarthy,  but  those 
whit-h  w(.'  saw  al  Disko  w-.-w  not  .so  reniarkabk'  in  f  ice  or 
form  as  to  ha\e  attracted  attention  in  .in\-  port  wh'.re 
fireii^n  sailors  abound,  rxcept  lor  tluir  skin  costnuKs. 
]'.\\u  these  coslunus  would  not  have  breii  ]>articnlarl\' 
iioliciable  had  it  not  biiii  for  their  filthiuess.  \\\-  kit 
the  same  disap]>ointmeitl  that  main  o|us  had  rxpeririux  d 
at  sciiu;,;  the  Wk'slcrn  Indians,  when,  iustrad  ot  a  noble 
s;i',  .ii^e,  or  (.Aeil  a  siinblanc*.'  of  the  earii'aluris  oiir  s(.(.>  of 
the  Indian  in  hi^h  hat  and  nil  I)lanket,  wr  fouiu'  men 
like  oiirsehes,  dressed    in    laiiK  cixili/ed  fashion,  and   at 


'<fA 


W 


Ktmmmr-^-yvr—.-.. 


48 


/.\'  .lA'cV/C  SA.IS. 


first  sijrlit  not  rcMiiarkable  for  aiiyiliiiii;.  This  first  im- 
])rc-ssi()n,  liowcvcr,  in  botli  cases  soon  wears  off.  The 
])h\si();4n(;in\-,  race  cliaracteristics,  and  cnstoins  arc  seen 
to  (lifil-r  widely  from  tliose  of  otlier  nations,  and  an 
interest  all  the  more  intense  on  acconnt  of  its  ])re\ions 
absence  was  felt  in  studying  this  (t(j  lis)  new  \ariet\-  of 
mankind. 

About  noon  a  cc)nple  of  natives  rowed  inc  ashore,  and 
;ifter  a  few  minutes  spent  in  lookin.ij  about  the  settlement 
I  met  the  ins])ector,  the  ,i;()\-ernor,  and  a  p;issenL;er  from 
the  oul\-  ship  in  the  har])or,  a  small  Danish  brij^i^.  This 
5;entlemau,  Mr.  Koch  by  name,  had  arrived  a  i\\v  davs 
])rc\iously  from  Denmark,  and  was  awaitin<^  an  opporln- 
nil\-  to  proceed  southward  to  take  charLje  of  one  of  the 
other  settlements.  Tlic\-  were  standiuj;  in  front  of  the 
]L;i)\ernor"s  house,  talking,  as  I  approached  and  introduced 
nnself.  lM)rtuuatel\-  for  me,  they  all  s])()ke  some  I'.w^- 
lish,  and  we  wert'  soon  couxersin^'  about  the  expeili- 
tiou. 

A  delightful  half  hour  was  thus  passed,  after  which  I 
received  ;iu  inxilaliou  from  the  governor  to  dine  with 
him.  On  m\'  accepting,  we  entered  the  house  and  were 
ushered  into  the  ])arlor,  through  the  open  doorwax'  of 
which,  leadiu;^-  to  th','  diniuL^-rooni,  could  be  st'cn  the 
ser\anls  ])repariuL;  the  meal.  The  savor\  odors  of  the 
food,  the  s])otless  linen  table-cloth,  and  home-like  >ur- 
roundiuL;s  were  indeed  an  a^reeibk'  change  from  >hip- 
liU'.  The  i>art\-  at  dinner,  which  was  soon  aunouui-ed, 
con>isUd  of  the  governor  and  hi--  wife,  Mr.  Koch  with 
his  wife  and  child,  and   nnself      Tlun   fiHowed  a  most 


M 


m 


■////■:  \-()y.i(:/-:  oi-   ////■:  kiti:. 


49 


Tlu 


i,ni;)val)k'  nual.  It  l)L,L;an  with  a  soup  of  most  (k'licious 
ll,i\-or,  iiiaik-  from  llic  (.■iik-r-'ltick,  followc'd  I)\'  lnoik-d 
L-iik-r-diick  breasts  and  potatoes,  witli  bread  and  wiiie.  A 
(kN>LrL  of  jell)-  and  ainiunds  ended  llie  rep;i>l.  Tlie 
\jriet\'  of  tile  \'eL;clabk's  \va>  neeessarih'  re>trieled.  lie- 
eaii<e  llie\  liad  all  lo  be  bronchi  iVoin  Denmark,  and 
eonimnniealion  with  that  connlrx  is  only  pos>ible  dnrinLj 
the  summer  months. 

The  ser\-ants  seemed  to  be  ipiile  familiar  with  their 
duties,  and  mo\ed  al)OUl  noisekssly  in  their  >ot"t  >kin 
boots.  .\  slii^hl  look  or  i^esture  from  the  host  or  hostess 
\v :i>  readilv  understood  and  immedialeK  obeyed.  The\- 
were  I'".>kimo  women,  and  dressed  in  Inr  trousers  with 
laue\-colored  sott  leatlier  boots  whieh  reached  to  the 
knees;  a  short  jacket  made  of  the  >k:.i  of  the  hair  seal 
au<l  a  fancy  handkerchief  or  ck)th  a])out  the  head  com- 
pleted their  attire.  It  was  indeed  a  sc-nsible  co-.tnuie, 
and  both  becominj.;  and   picturesijue. 

The  conversation  at  the  table,  which  was  princijialU' 
in  the  Danish  lon.nue,  was  kindlx  translated  tor  me,  from 
time  to  time,  by  Mr.  Koch,  who  spoke  l*ji,iL;lish  with 
cou->iderable  llnency.  This  courtesy,  and  the  kindnos 
and  L;erda!ity  of  the  host,  added  con>i<lerably  to  the 
]>le.i>ure  of  the  occasion.  ( )n  ri-'u^,  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  dinner,  those  ,it  the  table  siiook  hands  with  tlieir 
lio>t  and  with  one  anotlier,  and  e.\chan.L;(,(l  <_;reetin;.,^s. 
Tlii>  was  an  ancient  Danish  custom,  ami  is  ^i-nerallv 
pr.icti^ed  anions;  tlic  Danes  in  (ireenland.  Tln'  i^entle- 
nien  then  retired  to  anollur  room,  where  coffei'  and 
ci'Mr>  Were  served. 


50 


/.\'  .INC/7C  si:.  IS. 


Oil  leaviiij^,  soon  afterward,  wl-  made  a  tour  of  the 
sctlkiiiunt.  It  consistt'd  of  the  inspector's  house,  the 
governor's  house,  a  store,  the  assistant  ^n)vernor's  lionsc, 
a  small  chapel,  a  cooi)er  and  blacksmith  shop,  a  store- 
lu)U>e  near  tlie  edt^e  of  the  water,  where  the  ships 
unloaded,  and  al)out  tliirtv  or  fort\'  ICskinio  huts.      All 


l\>l'H    IiiK   ^     llnOI  ,    l.i'im.W  N. 


the  1)uildin,y;s  except  those  of  the  I<!skimos  were  made  of 
lumber  broui^ht  from  Denmark.  They  were  about  a 
stor\-  and  a  half  hij^h,  with  steep  peaked  roofs  covered 
with  pitch.  The  windows,  and  the  panes  also,  were 
([uite  small,  both  the  windows  and  the  doors  beinj;  deep- 
Iv  cased  to  provide  against  the  bitter  cold  of  winter.      At 


-Jill:   loY.n.i:  oi'  I  hi:  kin:. 


51 


sliips 
AH 


this  scnsdii  of  tlic  yi'ar  the  douhlc-  wiiHhiws  wtTC  uniK-ccs- 
sarv,  for  llic  Uuipt-Talnrc  was  about  tlif  fn.x'/in<;-j)oint 
and  in  the  bright  snnliiL^hl  it  was  (luitc-  warm.  Uolli  llic 
sides  and  roofs  of  iIr'  houses  were  covered  willi  eoal-tar, 
anil  tile  casiu_<4S  and  wiudow-saslies  were  painted  white, 
till.-  contrast  of  the  two  colors  prochiciu^  a  strikiuj:;-  and 
h\  no  means  unpleasinj^  efTect.  All  were  scrupulously 
clean,  and  presented  a  neat  and  cos\-  api)earance.  vSe\- 
eral  liouses  were  fenced  in,  and  niceh-kcpl  pebble  walks 
led  up  to  the  front  door. 

.\s  one  entered,  he  found  a  sliort  hall  from  wdiich  two 
doors  opened;  one  of  these  led  into  a  sittin,y;-rooni,  whicli 
was  also  fitted  uj)  for  the  transaction  of  business  relatin.u;' 
to  the  colony.  This  room  was  <iuite  cheerful  and  neatly 
furnished,  containinj^  a  i)iano,  a  book-case  fdled  with 
books,  and  other  evidences  of  refinement.  There  were 
windows  on  three  sides  of  the  room,  which  looked  out 
on  the  l)a\-  and  the  j^leasant  landsca])e  around.  The 
other  door,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall,  ^ave  access 
to  the  li\  in,n-roonis  of  the  faniih'.  I  did  not  see  the 
ujjper  rooms,  which  must  ha\e  been  small,  and  were 
possibly  used  for  storage  j)urposes  or  for  the  acconimoda- 
liou  of  the  scrxatits. 

( )n  the  sheltered  side  of  the  house,  under  one  of  the 
windows,  was  a  ininiature  garden  fi\e  or  six  feit  scpiait.-. 
It  contained  lettuce,  peas,  and  one  or  two  othe''  hardy  \e,L,'- 
etables.  This  i^ardeii  was  more  a  thin.^of  ornament  than 
service,  as  the  aniouul  ij^idwu  in  it  was  insignificant  and 
the  short  season  i)ie\eiited  the  plants  from  btconiiuij 
pro])erly  matured.      It  was  inclosed  by  a  neat  and  ])rett\' 


5'^ 


/.v    lA'c/vc  s/:.is 


IciiL'c  oi  wood,  which   rcsiinhkd   ihi-  toy  fcncLS  used  lo 
.surrouiul  our  Christmas  trees. 

The  houses  haw  no  cellars,  heiii.t;  Imilt  on  the  solid 
ruck  or  oil  mound  whicli  is  tVozeii  perpetually  tVoiii  a 
few  inclies  below  the  surface,  the  >un  duriu^  the  suninier 
inoiiths  thawin.ir  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  oiih'  half 
a  foot  or  more,  depeiulin.n'  on  its  situation.  There  were 
hut  three  of  these  wooden  dwelliii^-hdUses,  the  inspec 
tor's,   the  !/o\enior"s,   and  assistant  <4o\ernor's. 


II  \l  !■  I      A  I 


The  cha])el  and  storehouses,  hiiilt  also  of  wood,  were 
painted  Mack  with  white  windows,  similar  to  the 
dwollin,ns. 

The  chapel  was  situated  <ni  the  top  of  a  hill  in  the 
rear  of  the  villasje.     While  not  larLie.  it  was  nevertheless 


nil-    \())\ !(,/■:  (U-  '////■:  kiii:. 


53 


.itlr;icti\c--l(i(ikii!;^r,  and  ivsrinhK'il  in  ^;iiKTal  the  small 
I.iUluian  (.■liurcln.s  of  Xdilluin  ICuri)])(.'.  It  possL-ssfd  a 
^in,L;k'  iiioni  with  woodiii  hrnclus,  and  was  nscd  lor  both 
clinirh  and  srlionl  ])nrp()scs.  In  llir  front  was  a  ralhtr 
i.laI)orati-  altar,  also  nsid  as  tin.-  schoolmaster's  (Usk. 
\n  origan  and  a  blackboard  completed  the  fnrnishin,^ 
of  the  interior,  with  the  exception  of  a  nnniber  of  ^aih- 
colored  reliv^ions  prints  on  the  walls. 

The  storehouses  were  nothini^  more  than  lar^e  barn^. 
stronL;K  constructed  to  withstand  the  storms  of  winter. 

The  l'',>kiuio  dwellini.rs  \\(.\(.'  huis  built  of  turf,  with  a 


rooi 


made    ot    boards   covered    with    the   same    material 


The\'  were  about  fifteen  fiet  sipiare,  and  usnallv  built 
on  the  slope  of  a  hill.  Ivicli  house  contained  a  siuLile 
window  with  a  sa>h  ol  ,i;Iass  composed  of  sewral  ]tanes. 
Tlie\  were  entered  b\  a  tuiiiul  about  ten  fett  ill  leiiiL^lh 
and  two  or  three  feel  in  luiL^ht,  runiiinu;-  out  from  its 
side.  r.efore  entering,  it  is  (|uile  essc-ulial  to  call  ti 
some  of  the  inmates,  who  lluu  knock  out  two  or  three 
of  the  iil;K -hidkini;  do^s  which  cou^re^ate  in  and  about 
the  opeiiin,L;s  of  all  the  liiits.  .\fter  this  precaution  one 
i^oes  down  on  hands  and  kiues  and  crawls  ihrouiih  the 
tunnel,  a  small  door  !.;i\in^  admission  to  the  hut.  Tln' 
interior  consists  of  but  one  room,  half  tif  which  has  a 
tloor  o|'  wood  r.iised  a  t'oupk' of  fci-l  ,d)o\-e  the  .ground. 
( )ri  this  the  inmates  spend  most  of  their  time,  tatiii^, 
sleei)in^,  and  working;.  Tin.'  rest  of  the  room  is  L;i\eu 
up  to  cookin;^,  curin.L;  of  skins,  .iml  the  siorai^^e  of  liuiit- 
iiiL;  and  other  implemeiils.  The  raised  iloor  is  iieces- 
.sar\   to  utilize  the   heat  an<l  warmth  kA   the  room,  which 


't    ! 


54 


/.\'  .lA'c'/vc  s/:.is 


is  j^realcr  iK-aixT  iIr-  root".  The  lieij^lil  inside-  iIk-  lint  from 
the  (Trotuid  to  llif  roof  is  hardly  seven  feet,  it  heinij^  ini- 
])ossi1)le  for  anN'  except  the  smaller  inmates  to  stand  tip- 
rij^lit  when  on  the  jjlatforni. 

There  is  a  \er\-  perceptible  odor  of  fish   and  .u^rease 
abont  the  inside,  and  generally  a  pot  of  fish  and  blubber 


N.MUI.    WiiMW     AMI    (llllhUIN.    linhllWN. 


is  boiliniLj;  over  a  smoky  fire.  The  fuel  used  is  seal  oil 
and  turf,  the  latter  of  which  I  saw  them  pilini^^  up  out- 
side the  hut  for  future  use.  The  Danish  i^overnment 
])rovides  the  natives  of  the  settlement  with  lar<;e  cast- 
iron  stoves,  and  each  hut  contains  one  of  these,  the  pi])e 
from  which  jiierces  the  roof.     The  walls  are  nsiudly  Iinn.if 


////■;  ro). !(,/■:  o/-  ////■:  a///-;. 


.■^,1 


III- 
ip- 

ISO 


with  Imntiii.L;'  iiiiplcintiUs,  clothes,  occasionally  sonic 
ilica])  ininl>,  and  a  lew  other  articles.  ( )n  the  plallnrni 
\ere  the  skins  on  which  tlu'  inmates  slept;  the\  were 
iiiiisth  those  of  tile  reindeer  and  birds  sewn  to^^elher. 
When  not  in  nsc  these  fnrs  are  nsnally  rolled  np  and 
packed  awa\-  with  a  miscellaneous  collection  of  nnnni>]ie(l 
clothing;,  little  boxes  containing;  sewinj;-  implements, 
trinkets,  and  children's  playthin,L,fs.  The  whole  plat- 
lonn  was  sometimes  littered  with  these  things,  lor  here 
the  work  of  the  household  was  done  and  the  little  chil- 
dren played.  Many  of  the  huts  were  filtln-  in  the  i\- 
treme,  thoui,di  in  those  of  some  of  the  better  cl.i>s  of 
natives  the  platform   was  quite  neat. 

The  floor  itself  was  alwa\s  strewn  with  fraj^nients  of 
skill,  pieces  of  dirt\'  blankets,  and  other  offen>i\e  mat- 
ter, which  amply  accounted  for  the  \-ile  odors  encoun- 
tered on  eiitcrinjL^. 

The  total  number  of  inhabitants  in  (lodha\n  was 
about  one  hundred  and  fift\-;  of  these  about  a  half  dozen 
were  the  Danish  officials  and  their  families,  the  rest  beiny- 
l"",skimos. 

The  inmates  of  the  native  huts  numbend  usualh  >i\ 
to  eij^ht  in  each.  They  seemed  to  have  a  nninber  of 
children,  wdio  were  as  a  rule  brii^dit  and  intere^lini;. 
Almost  all  of  the  nati\t'S  were  of  tli-'  coU)r  of  our  \orlli 
American  Indians,  but  the  face  is  broader  and  has  none 
of  the  fierce  and  stolid  look  of  tlu  American  sa\ai;e. 
The\'  are  much  smaller  in  stature,  tluir  hair  is  jet  black, 
strai.i;ht,  and,  in  the  case  of  the  men,  not  allowed  to  !^ row 
o\'er  four  or  live  inches  in  length.      In  the  women,  liow- 


fm 


W^^ 


totrww^wwmiK^^ 


56 


/v    iKcin'  SI-:  IS 


iwT.  il  i>  iinuli  IdiiL;!.-!',  ;m<l  i\iiKiilly  ict'i'iws  (.ou^iikr- 
ahlf  :itli.iitinii, 

'riu'  iii.irriffl  wonuii  ,in' ilistiiv^ui-^lu'il  Iroin  lli«>-f  wlin 
■AW  >iii^K-  l.\  li.i\  iiiL4  lluir  liaif  l\vi>tr(l  in  llii'  Inrm  ••!"  .1 
roll,  iniir  or  f\w  iiu'lir^  in  luii^lil,  oil  tlu'  lo|>  ot  tlii' 
luad  ami  lii^ltth  \\ia]']H(l  willi  cord.  TIu-  >inL;Ir  u  niiu  u 
(Ir-ss  tlirir  hair  in  xarmus  sl\k'S  as  l"aiu-\  (liclati>.  tin.- 
r  •  i 


\ '  'I   ■>.' .    I  -K  i  \i'  ■   1 .11, 1  >     \  M  I    N  \  I  l\  I.    nil. 

k-iiiak-  cliildn.!!   wearing   il  souk  liiiKs  liki.'  llial  t)l   their 
iiiollK-r>,  a>  show  11  in  thr  ilhisiralion. 

I  >a\v  uol  a  single  sh)\  (.iiK-IookiiiL;  woman,  and  it  l]\v\ 
had  nol  >nch  an  ahoniinahk-  odor  of  ^rcasf  and  rank  fish 
oil  ahoiit  lluni  ihi  \  niiL;ht  liaxc  1)(.-(.'U  i|iiitc  altraclivu. 
Thc'V    Nwrt-  ahk-  lo  ublain   iVuni   the  >ton.'  in   tlu-  scttlc- 


«\> 


^ 


////.   I  (>)  i(,/   (>/    I  III.  Kill-:.  zq 

imiit  f;mc\'-('i>l()r(  il  clotlis.  1)im(1>,  id'.,  ami  with  t!iisi> 
;!ic\  iiiaiK' ami  lUcmatiil  tluif  ]>i('tiirt.'s(|iu  I'm  i'ii>tmm.'>. 
'''!ir  nun  an.-  neillur  so  will  du^^cd  nm  tliiiltv  limk- 
:aL;,  nnnli  (if  lluir  clothing;  In  in^;  i-unipn-iil  nf  tlu  c-a^l- 
(iff  ;^arnunls  (if  sailors.     .Man\  of  tlu  ni  wnn  pantaloons  of 


-hiKi  ||..r-l.    AM.    '.Kill  !•    ^,\     N  \l  l\-I  ~.    .,.  .|iilA\N. 

sial-skiii,  skin  hoots,  aiul,  at  tliis  season,  a  conihimrl  hood 
aiul  sliirt  (.-alk'd  "  milsck, '"  niadi-  of  a  ratlR-r  1um\  \  cdit'o 
sort  of  matt,  rial  sn]i]ilit.(l  h\  tlu  -ow  rnnu'iit.  TIkn  \wn- 
•  inile-  anxions  to  traiK- an\  thin^  l]u\  had  for  cloth  ]>anta- 
loon>,  hnt  as  tlK\-  (ksiic-d  onl\   those-  which  wt-ii.-  in  ''ood 


i 


58 


AV  .lA'C/VC  S/:.  IS. 


cond.tu.n.  wc  ha.l  vnv  few  to  spare.  Tl,cv  wislu,!  t. 
liavc  then  fcr  two  reasons:  fhst,  to  satisfV  a  desire  to 
"Hitate  the  Kiiropean  nietl.o.l  of  dress;  and  secon.l  as  I,e- 
in«-  a  more  eon.fortahle  article  of  clothin^r  for  s.nniner 
use  than  their  own  seal  ganiieiits. 


t,- 


t(» 

to 


A  Nativi;  Danci:.  — I'oi,  \uis  IIi;m<h.'K.  Ui.i.k.kin  m-  riii:  ICs- 
KiMus.- Miiiu;  oi' (ii)\  i;i<.\.\ii;ni'.  Mnsui  hols.  A  I'mnci; 
IN  Tii::  AucTn.:  ()ci;.\N.     'I'm:  N.\ri\i;  Ai'i'i/irn;. 

OX  the  following  (l;i\'  I  was  fortutialc  tiiouj^h  to  iiRtt 
Mr.  Carstfus,  lla-  assistant  gownior.  lie  had  \>vvu 
biisw  i>rf\iousl\ ,  supfiA  isin.n  the  unloading  of  .sii|)])liis 
from  iIr-  Danish  brig  in  the  harbor,  bnt  the  da\'  bi'iug 
Sunday,  all  work  in  the  settlement  was  sus]Kn(U(l,  ami 
1r-  was  therefore  at  leisuri-.  Most  of  us  went  ashore 
to  see  a  native  danee  whieh  took  plaee  in  one  of  tlie 
storehouses.  Thi.s  dance  it  is  custoniar\-  to  ha\e  during 
the  stay  of  the  Danish  ship  in  port,  the  pett\  offieers  and 
crew  also  taking  part  in  the  festivities,  whieh  constitute 
one  of  the  indiR-enR'Uts  held  out  to  them  to  \  i>il  thesu 
(Mit-ol'-the-way  shores.  I  was  told  that  the  Danish  go\-- 
ernnR-nt  h;ul  considerable  difilcnlty  in  getting  desirable 
erews  I'or  this  trade,  and  so  allows  a  dance  and  Sunday 
a>hore  to  the  urmi,  to  \-ar\  the  monotony  of  their  long  and 
dangerous  \o\age  to  and  tVom  Denmark.  'I'he  ships  are 
([uite  small,  generalh'  brigs  or  barks,  and  ;ire  rarelv 
manned  1)\-  over  ten  nR-n ;  there  were  about  this  number 
of  sailors  present  at  the  dance,  and  they  seemed  to  enjoy 
themselves  hugely.  l'"\er\  thing  was  (juite  orderK  ,  and 
the  good  behavior  of  all  was  nuR'h  connneuled  on  b\-  us. 


6o 


/.y  . ih'i'i /('  s/:. IS. 


■s  \ 


vSrvLTal  of  our  sailors  also  look  pari,  ^really  lo  tlu'ir 
(k'li^lil,  aiwl  soiiic-  ol  tliL'  nunilK-rs  of  our  owu  parU  did 
iiol  rc-lVain  T'oir.  joiuiu;^  in  iIk-  niori-  laniiliar  dances, 
which  cousislcd  ])riucipall\'  ol  a  niixlurc  ol  hornpipes, 
JIl^s,  ami  (jn  idrillcs,  c\idcntl\-  U'arncd  iVoni  the  sailor'^of 
whaling;  shi])s  ihal  had  hccn  c.dlini;  lure  for  wars. 
Most  of  the  dances  included  tlu'  t~la])pin!4  of  hand> 
and  slanipani^  of  led,  nol  unlike  our  Indian  war-dant'cs. 
The  music  was  made   i)\-  two  old    I'",->kinios  with    fiddles, 


and 


i;     was     ^-.'rv     exident     that     this    a(  vonnilishnieut 


ori^inaU'd  from  the  same  ■^ourc(•.  as  three  or  font  of 
ihi.'  tunes  jilawd  were  a  medle\  of  Wt;ro  and  Iri^h  lunes 
thai  were  familiar  at  home.  1  sent  to  the  shi])  for  a 
}4;uilar,  and  accompanied  this  "  orcdu-sira '"  for  sonu- time. 
Thev  ])la\-eil  (piite  well  holh  a--  regards  time  and  tune, 
and  I  had  not  much  ditricnltx  in  ket-pinn  with  them. 
The  naliws  seemed  (piile  please. 1  with  this  addition  t<j 
their    music,    and    looki'd    much    an<l    curioush    at    the 


<'-uitar. 


It   was  eviilenth'    the   liist   one  e\ei   si'cn  in  the 


localitw   and   produced   '|uitc   a   sensation.      The  n.itiws 
were  lound  e\lremel\   foml  of  mu>ic. 

Mr.  Carsteus,  who  was  so  kind  ;.nd  courteous  durin;^ 
I'ur  short  ac(|uaintance,  L^aw  me  a  lar^e  amount  of  \al- 
uahle  information  ahout  this  peculiar  and  inlere^tim..; 
])e()i)le.  Duriu'.^  his  residence-  of  o\  i-r  four  \ears  he  had 
actiuired  considerahle  knowkdiLje-  of  the  subject,  which, 
with  IIk'  information  he  had  ohlaiued  from  other  sources, 
made  him  a  most  charmiui^  and.  interesting  com]tanion. 


He  informed  nu-  that  the  nali\es  were  looked  after  1 


»\- 


the  I')anish  <>()\  irnment.      'iMiev  are   well-beluu  cd,  li(.>n- 


•^ 


////.   /  (')'.!<,/■:  ()/    ////•.■  A7//-; 


6i 


U'lr 


(IKI 


t'ts. 


H'S, 


irs. 


IKis 


ml  siniid  tluir  tinu'  in  tlu-  s|irin<^c;iU'liin^  si-.ils  and 


A.l 


;iii>  .iiiil    (ililainiii'. 


;  1 1 1  ■ 


i\  III  \ 


mil   i>il,  wliuli    arc 


Stilt  til  hiimiaik.  'I'luA  ir(,'vi\r  tlicir  |>a\  in  a  ^]nrial 
k'.uil  III  iiimuA,  l'ltll>i•^li!l;^r  ol'  cdiiis  ;iii(i  M-ii])  iiiaiK-  I'nr 
tlii>  ]iurpii^f  ill  1  )i.iiinai  k.      It  is  ia,.i  n  in  pav  nunt  at  tlif 


^tllrt.•     lllf     "'I'I'll 


1(1  to  tlu-  iialu  I 


lii-pi't  Inr  AniliT-^iii  pdintiil  mit  ti>  n--  a  kul  al 


Mill!   V  I'-ll- 


U  (11   \  raiN  ol     I''!.' 


Iiriiiij  IIk-  siMi  III 


II 


ms  I  iniru- 


tlu 


I''.->kiinn  linnli.T,  miilK-,  ,uil  ciiiii]iaiiiiiii  I't"  Kaiir  ami 
lia\(,-.,  ainl  niciitiniKil  mi  ntu-n  hv  tlirui  in  tluir  lainnii^ 
hunks  mi  A  ret  if  tia\  i;l  ami  liaidsliip^.  Tlir  \  nniiL;  li  llnw 
is  iKiw  an  III  plian.  ami  li\(.  s  w  itli  his  strji-nintlu-r.  !!> 
siiiiliii;^  t'acr  ami  (.■luiii'nl  ilispn^iiion  shuw  that  lu-  i- 
(.•\i(kiitl\  fiintriitiil  with  his  lot.  IIi'inJnNs  ihiilistin- 
i^iiislud  naiiK'  nf  I'nlaiis  I  Knrirk,  having;  lucn  calli-d 
alUT  tlu-  rnitcd  States  sitMnisJiip  /''A?/7v,  whirh  dniiviy 
Hall's  ixpfdiliuii,  in   llii.'  yt-ar   1^72,  was  irii.sln.(l   in  tin.' 


K'r 


Th 


r  l)ii\-  was  inli-rt.stin<'   Irmii   tin-  lact  nl    his  ha\iiii 


Im  11  liiini  nil  an  ifr-tlnr  al  a  liiin  wluii  tlu'  /'>/ir/i^  was 
liiiiiU  Inckid  in  till'  ict'.  in  latitmk-  7s  ;^(i',  and  in  iin- 
ir.inmt  dair^ir  nl  luiiii,;  t-nislud.  I'larin^  ihr  lUstiiif- 
timi  III'  till-  \(.ss(.'l  at  an\  nuniu  nt.  sdnu-  i>\  \]\v  (.ii.  w  haii 
(.'mainpi,il  mi  tin.'  iix-  a  short  distaiUH-  a\va\ ,  wliilr  tlu 
V(.-si  rrinaiiu'd  mi  hoaid.  \  \ioUiit  ,L;aif  hrokr  njitlu' 
u\\  and  tlu-  tloi-  on  whitli  tlu-  riuainiinu  nt  was  sitnatnl 


llnalc'd    aw 


i\ 


'riiosf   wlin   \\(.ir  mi    till'    icT   rmnpiisi'd 


Cajitain   'Pvsmi    tlu-   ii'i'-]iiini,  a  k-w  nf  thi-  I'li-w,  and  the 
l'".skiiniis  who  had  arcmnpanii. 
11 


II, 


(.Aiii-ilitimi. 


ill.- 


inmii'iisf   tlnr,  with    its   li\ini:^   biinUn.  drilU'd   aiimit  on 


62 


/.\'  .iA'(//c  s/:.is. 


tlir  u\)vu  sea  for  six  iiKiiillis,  wliin  tlic  stirvixors  win- 
nsctad  1)\  the-  stcainsliii)  />;'yv'.s.v,  in  laliliulc  33'  _^,s',  oflT 
tlir  (.-oast  of  Labrador,  havinjn  siicfussfully  inack-  llu-  w- 
inarkahK  ilrift  of  nearly  fifu-cn  hundred  miles  and  liwd 
tliron^li  the  ri«;orsofan  Aretie  winter. 

The  reli.i^ion  of  the  Ivskinios,  as  was  learned  from  Mr. 
Car>tens,  is  somewhat  indefinite  and   uiieertain.      At  the 
settlements,  where  the  Danish  missionaries  liave  labored 
with   the   natives   for  many  years,  the\'   mi_<;ht  be  ealled 
theontiea]  Christians.      They  do  not  aj)i)ear  to  be  a))Ie  to 
^rasp  the   idea  of  a  Dr-ity  as  commonlx'   nnderstood,  and 
]ia\e  even  a  slis^hter  (M)nception  of  original  sin.      They 
cannot   be  made   to  comjirehend   how   the   sins  of  their 
tathers  for  generations  ean  in  any  wa\-  affect  them,  and  it 
is  very  donbtfnl  if  the\-  have  an\-  exalted  opinion  of  the 
snperiorilx  of  the  Cluistian  Clnireh  over  their  own  vat^ue 
ideas  of  a  future  life.      A  t(jtal  indilTereiice  is  felt  to  the 
exislenee    of   hell    as  a   possible    future    dwellin<,r-plaee. 
This  may   be  ])arlially  due  tu  havin,<r  passed    their   ex- 
istence in  sneli  an  utterh  desolate  land   that  they  cannot 
ima.^ine  an  abode  more  miserable.     Tlie  sun,  moon,  and 
(treat   vS])irit   they  rci^ard  as  havin.y;  an  indefinite  some- 
thin<^-  to  do  with   their  past,   present,  and   future   state. 
.\t  (ledesmunde  and  Jakobshavn,  two  settlements  below 
( i(idha\  n,  are  two  holes  or  saered  caves,  into  which  the 
I\skimos,   on    passing-    •  '    the    .-ourse   of   their    hnntini;; 
trips,  throw  l)ils  ol  blubbir  and  meat.     This  is  al).)nt  the 
onK-   sacrifice   tl,'\    are  known   to  olTer  ii])   to  the  dreat 
Spirit.     Mr.  Carslms  thinks  that  iheir  ;'p]);'.rent  devotion 
and   re,i;nl,'.rity  in  attendance  at  the  little  chapel   is   due 


\ 


"^m 


11 II-:  \oy.n,i-:  oi-   iiii:  kiii:. 


63 


!;ir.^n-I\  to  tlu'ir  <^ri'at  passion  for  music.  TIkv  lu-ver 
liu'  of  tlir  iiinsic  of  the  small  or;^  .n.  and  sin<^in.i;  to  its 
ari'ompaninunl  atlorils  them  tlu-  j^rcattst  ])lt.asurt.'. 

'iMu'  I-',skimos  an-  a  ])faccfnl,  luirmk-ss  jK-opk-  amonfj 
llKinsthrs  and  toward  the  whites.  Xo  authenticated 
e.i-'C  of  a  whiti'  man  heinj;  killed  by  an  Kskimo  has  ever 
luen  known  in  (ireeuland,  and  hut  three  cases  of  murder 
.inion,n>>l  the  natives  themselves  havi-  occurred  in  the 
]ii>loiv  of  the  settlement  at  r.odhavn.  The  perj>etralor 
of  ,  a  case  of  infanticide,  was  punished  with  the  ad- 
Miiiiislration  li\  the  insi)ector  of  fort\  lashes  on  the  hare 
hack.  The  .secf)nd  case,  if  it  can  he  classed  as  a  munkr, 
was   of  iiewhat    peculi.ir    nature:     In    one    of    the 

funilies  there  was  a  youni;  juirl.  who,  heim,^  insane  and  a 
hurdeu  to  her  peopU\  was  >entt  need  at  a  famih'  concla\e 
to  d    li'i.      Some  carbolic  acid,  which   had   been  left   for 
dres>; ';,     »   wound    by   the  doctor  who  \isited  (iodliaxn 
twice  a  \ear  from  some  of  the  southern  settlements,  was 
:.:i\en  to  her,  but  then,  as  the  narrator  said,  "  slu' became 
crazier  than  e\er;  "   thereupon  a  secon<l  dose  ol  a  larger 
.imount  of  the  dru!:,^  was  administered,  and  .she  fell  iusiu- 
->ible.      Su]>posini;   her  dead,  she  was  taken   b\  her   rela- 
ti\es    .and    hurriedly    burit-d    beneath     i    pile    ol     nIouo. 
Tlie\   maintained  that  she  was  realK  dead  w  hen    buried, 
but    information    iuqiarled    b\    ollu'rs    matU'    it    look    as 
though   this  had   not   beiu   the  ca>e,  and    that    -^he    w.i> 
.i]i\e  when  i'lterred.      ()win^    to  the  doubts  in   the  c.ise, 
no  punishment  was  inllii-lul  in   this   inst.ince.      'i'lii-   last 
nini(Ur  was  that  ]ierpetrated  b\-  ,1  m.in  who  w;is  st-in.  in 
lii^  kajak,   to  a]i]'roach  a   l.iii^e  skin   bo.ii  or  "umi.ik" 


4 


<>\ 


/.\   .iA(//(   s/:.  IS 


vmi.uiuu'^  uim-  ]Hi-'ons.  I  h-  (IrlihiralL-h-  |ltiUL;ri!  liis 
isiiilc-  into  it,  >iiikiii;^  lIi-.-  Ii(),a  and  iliowiiiii^  llu-  riiliit.' 
]),iil\.  'Till' nundini  t'sraprd  ])iiiii>liiiKiit,  a-.  1  lu  iiaU\fs 
rrrii^t'd  toad  in  the  niallrr  and  llu- I  lux 'i-  I  )ani^l!  otiicials 
l'a<l  not  tlh-  roiira^i.'  lo.irl  lluiiistl\cs  as  liis  cxi'dUioiurs. 
'V\\v  niiirdrRT  is  still  oi-rasionallv  sixii  uvav  ihc  siuK-- 
nuiil,  but  i>  prohihitcl  1)\-  tlu-  j^owi'uor  lioiii  li\iii;j  in 
il.  When  asknl  what  lluir  lionu'  i^owrnnunt  had  Id 
s;i\  aU.mt  it.  lluMr  ixpl\-  was,  "X(ilhin<^."  'I'o  <rnd  llu- 
tVllow  llinr  thousand  niiU-s  to  IKnniaik  tn  !)(.■  vMiaitrd 
was  nonstiisi.',  whiK'  to  niakt.'  L-MTMitioniis  ot  tJK  two 
wliilr  nun  hru-  Mhr  ins])rtl()r  ottt-n  iKini;  ah^tiiH  would 
!»i'  an  nnrriNonabU-  i)r()i'fdnr(.'  in  \  irw  ot'  tin-  indilllii  n(.-t' 
sh>wn  in  llu-  inattiv  1)\  thi-  natiws  tlKMiistKrs.  So  the 
di>rn'->ion  e•l()-^(.•d  1)\  an  invitation  to  am  of  our  ])art\ 
who  so  wislud,  to  add  his  carcass  to  tlR-ir  I'olKction  il' 
i1k\'  desired  a  specimen  ot'  that  nature — an  invitation 
which,  1  need  hardl\  sax,  wa>  not  acce])led. 

'I'he  natives  tlleniscKes  are  allowed  to  settle  the  dis- 
putes and  dil'licultics  arisin;^  anion;^  tlu  in:  tlu'st'  ,are  hut 
lew  in  uiunher  and  onl\  ol'  a  most  Irixial  nature,  the 
connnnnit\  heini^  .is  '(uit-'t  .uid  orderI\-  a  one  a>  can 
he  lound  an\where.  The  oiclinar\  disputes  are  tho>r 
iirisiui^  in  tlie  di\  ision  ot"  the  spoils  of  the  i'ha>e  oi  some 
tamuslic  matters,  and  are  [tuuislud  1)\  (lepri\iic.^  the 
(il'l'ender  ol'  .1  part  or  all  of  his  share.  If  the  offense  is 
seriou>  eUouLih.  his  effects  ma\  i.\en  he  taken  .iwa\  from 
hnn  and  divided  amongst  ilu  injurt'd  p.irties.  Souie- 
liriies   the   '•t)\\rnor   t.d<e>  coL-nizance   of  an   offence  hv 


''\ 


riii:  i(>).ii,/:  oi-   ////:  a///-; 


'>.s 


'I'Ik'  uatiws  \\\\w  \.\\v  '^waW->\.  rL->]i(,'Cl  and  .itU-rliMii  inr 
iIk-  I).iiii>li  ollicials.  TIu'  >liui;^lli  ol  llii>  atlaclinu-ii;  is 
-li(i\Mi  1)\'  till'  Itillowiiii;  orcMii'n-iK'f:  Snpir  \  imt^  a^i  >  an 
iii^jiiTloi'  and  nali\'i',  y>\\  :^i)iii;^  (im  i'  i\\v  icr  t(»  i  di^ianl 
Mltimirnt,  hrcaiiu-  M'i)aratcd  lu'iii  iIk- >Ii()rr  1)\  llu-  inr- 
niatioii  of  a  crai'k  or  m^mui.  TIr-  naliw  was  aii'u-  to 
jimip  ai-ross  tlic  ri-><uir,  hnl  llu  in>]n.clui-.  hc-ini^  a  nir.L'ii 
lu-a\  ii.'T  man  and  rnu^fd  to  ^uili  kats,  found  it  inuu.s- 
<iI)U-  to  follow.  '1"1k'  nati\ f  wa^  unwillini;  to  It-MW  him 
and  |)voci-(.-d  to  the  SLttlrnu;it  lov  a->istan(i-  unk--^  llu- 
ins]H-clor  fnrni>h(.-d  him  with  a  notr  -^tatinL;  ilu'  nature 
of  thr  accidrnt,  and  thus  r(.Iie\i-  him  of  hlanu-.  Tin- 
ihi'  inspector  refused  to  d(>,  and  the  nali\-e  remained 
with  him,  determined  to  ^liare  his  fate.  I"ortnnatel\-, 
the  ne'  '.  da\'  the  ice  camt.'  to^^etlKr  and  Liial)led>  hoth  tf) 
pr(X'ee«l  on  tluir  j(»urne\    in  •-afetw 

Manx  of  the   Ivskinio>  in  I)ani>~h  (ireenland  show  nn- 

mi^takahle  sii^ns  of  ailmixtnre  with  the  white  rare.     The 

lesianhlanee  of  man\' of  them  to  I'",uropean>  !H)th  in  color 

and  ])h\  sioL;nom\-  was  (|uite  marked,  heim;  (hie  lo  tlu'  in- 

termarriai^e  of  the    natix'es  and    Danes  practiced    in    the 

ear]\   hi->tor\-  of  the  -^ettlenunts.      This  was  encouraged 

at  that  time  1)\'  the  Dani-h  ^owrumeiil,  with  thiL-  idea  oi 

ci\ilizim;  tlie  inliabitants  and  im]iro\-iuL:  their  condition. 

thu-^  making-  them  a  more   desirahle  cla-^s  of  colonist-. 

'I'he  result  of  the  e\i)eriment  wa--.  howe\-er.  far  from  .saS:- 

i--factor\-,  and   tlie\-  were    forced    to  .ih.indon  it  lonu  .i-^o. 

In>tead    of    the   half-l)reed>   beiuij    helter  than    llu    i>urt' 
b 


\    , 


66 


/\  ./A'(  //(■  s/:.is. 


natives,  I  was  inlnniR'd  tliat  tlK-\  Rtaimd  all  tlu-  ohjfc- 
lioiuihlc  cliarac'l(ri>lit's  of  the  l'",skiiii(is  pins  iIk-  \  icc-s  an<l 
bad  habits  wliic-li  tlu  I)anc>  tlicniscKis  had  imported. 
Sn  injnrions  \ww  tlu  i.ri(ii>  tound  ti>  be  that,  sonu  tinu- 
latir,  the  Danish  i^oveinnunl  lui^olialed  tn-atiis  with 
Inirit^n  nations,  ha.\in,L;  the  t'>])eeial  objei-t  of  piotectini; 
the  natixes  b\  ])re\enlinL;  all  inli'ieonr.se  between  them 
and  \  isilors  to  their  shores  exeept  nnder  tlu-  strietesl  pre- 
cautions and  after  a  s])eeial  permission  had  bi-i-n  ob- 
tained from  the  honu'  ^owrnnunt.  A  eop\  of  the  law 
on  this  snbject,  now  in  force,  wa->  hantled  to  ns  by  the 
j^M)\ernor  of  I'pernaxik.  its  contents  are  L;i\  en  nnder  the 
descrii)tion  ol   onr  \isit  to  that  ])hu'e. 

It  has  btrn  fonml  almost  impossible  to  civili/e  or  ele- 
\ate  the  nati\e  popniation  to  an\  marked  extent.  The 
white  inhabitants  are  too  few  in  nnmber  to  exert  any 
Lire. It  nujdifyinn  intlneni-e.  If  llu\  arrive  in  the  si'ttle- 
nu-nt  after  h.i\  iiiii  ;^roun  to  .idnlt  ai;e  in  a  more  i'i\ili/.ed 
eountrx,  then,  of  conrse,  they  retain  their  accnstonu-d 
m. Miners  and  mode  ol"  life  ;  bnl  if  a  child  is  born  to  anv 
of  the  Danish  residents  in  (Ireenlaiid,  thc\  do  not  dare 
allow  it  to  i;row  to  matnrii\  in  the  eonntr\  of  its  birth, 
bnt  .soon  transport  it  to  a  more-  ei\  ili/.r  1 1'omnuinite.  It  so 
happened  that  Jnsl  before  onr  List  \i sit  In  i  lodhaxii,  on  onr 
wax   home,  one  of  the    Danish   uffu-i.ds  (jf  the   place  had 


liait  a  Mm  horn 


to  1 


iini. 


While  cxhibitinL!  ureal  deliijlit 


at  this  addition  to  his  taniilw  lu-  ,il  the  s.inie  tiiiu  e\- 
press(.i1  i^real  re^iri'i  th.il  it  would  be  with  him  but  a 
short  lime.      He  staled   that  llie  cniMnn  who  wcae  born 


D; 


inisli   pare 


and   le.ired    in  (ireeiihind   iiuariablv 


■////■;  \(>)i(,r  n/-  ////■:  a///;. 


.i.'ijuiuil  till  iiKHu-  <)|'  liir  ,111(1  li.ihils  of  the-  nali\L's. 
Tluir  niiisi'S  ami  ])la\  iiiali's  aw  iu-cfssaril\-  I'^kiiiins, 
.111(1,  (.Acii  wIk-u  >(.iU  to  hriini.iik  .it  (luitr  an  (.aiK  aL;t.' 
to  Ik-  i,iiM(l  and  (.(lucatrd,  it  is  (lirfKMiit  to  ir.idiiMtt.'  tlu' 
trails  ,u(|iiii(.'l  iVoiu  tlitir  Ivskinio  as>()c-ial(.s.  Tliis  is 
iii(ki'(l  a  s.id  Itatuii.' of  tlu'  lif(.-of  tlu'  frw  wliilis  in  tlux.' 
fir-aw.iv  U'!4ion>.  Tlir  parents  lia\  i' to  facx-  tlu-  ten  ihk- 
,ilt(.i  iiatiw's  of  lillur  >i.i.in^  tluir  ('Iiildn.ii  j^rowiii;^  up 
ii;iior;int  ,iiid  iinriiltiin.(l  at  lioiiic.  or  ot  partiiu;  with 
tlu'in  in  1  slioit  t'liu-  and  confiding  tluni  to  tlu-  can-  ol 
slran^'is  in  a  iiioh.-  t-nlii^liti  tied  idinniniiitv  tlioiisands 
oiniiks  ,i\va\-.  Tlu-  Danish  (iffu-ials  in  tlu-st-  M-ttkiiunts 
art-  niltnicd,  iiitt-llimiit  nun,  and  tluir  i^ixaltsl  pk-.isuri- 
is  of  iu-(.'tssit\-  tluir  dotm>ti(.-  lifr.  Tlu-  s(.-ll-(kiiial  that 
it  ri(|iiirL-s  of  tluni  to  send  tluir  rhiklnn  a\\a\  to  In- 
raised  can  onK  hi-  appm.'iat(.(l  h\  thosi-  who  h,i\-t-  >(.-(.  ii 
and  kit  tlu-  nttrr  loiuliiu-ss  that  ]i(.r\a(k-s  this  di-sokilr 
1,111(1.  As  a  rcwatd  oi  tluir  (k-\otion,  Iio\vi.\-(.-r,  .ilt(.r 
sir\iiU4  ^  term  of  m.us  in  (  iniiikind  tlu-\-  ina\-  return 
to  Denmark,  ,iiid  tlu-ii  ni'ciNc.i  nioii-  dcsiraMi-  posiiim; 
in  tluir  coiintiA  's  sir\  in-  at  lioiiic. 

{ iodli.i\  n  is  sitiiati-d  on  ,i  peninsula  wliich  was  forme r- 

1\  .111  iskmd  on  tlu-  somlurn  co.ist  ot"  the  island  ot  Disko. 

This  pcniiisul.i  is  joined   to  the  mainl.ind   1)\- ,ui  almost 

le\(-l  strc-tch  of  sand\   iKach.      C'ro-sin;.^  this,  tlu-  first  oh- 

jtet    in    si^^ht    is    ilu-    L;ra\i\,ird    wlur;-     tlu     Chiisti.m 

I'.skiinos  lie  liiiried.      Tlu-  rude  w k  n  (•ross(->  .ni'l  well- 

ki  pi  mounds  ni.ide  it  look  like  .i  \ill.i^(-  eiiiuleiA  at 
lioiiu  .  ^^lll\  ot  the  L;r.i\  i  s  h.id  wieath'-of  imnio'telles 
and  little  olTeriii;^'.  npoii   'iluiii,  and   all    --howed   the  (.are 


■■"%! 


r,s 


/A'  AKcrir  si:  is 


and  alli'iitiou  which  wa^  (K-\iilnl  l)\-  ihr  lix-iiv^-  to  ihise 
R->liiii;-]ilar(.-^  of  l!u-  drail.  A  ->ini]i'ii.'  womlcii  tToss 
iiiarkrd  llu-  head  of  carh  .L;ra\i\  and  in  lhi>  foiiniix, 
wlu'iT  wniid  is  so  \alualilf,  thi-;  sanilicf  iTiin-sriiN  a 
\dV^v  anioiinl  of  >(.'ll-(kiiial  in  ordi  r  to  kvv\)  :\\\\v  tin.' 
nunioiA  of  the-  drad.  Two  ^ra\i.>  inti-it'stcd  n>  (  Mu.- 
was  niarKi.(l  1)\'  ,i  ,<4ra\(.'->tonr  of  whili.'  niai  Wk-  t-lahoralilv' 
caiAid  and  i.\idrnll\  from  I)riiniaik.  It  niarkid  the 
;^ra\i'  of  Sophn-^  'Idu-odoic  Krarn])  Smitli.  t""!  i:;-.-.-!  y  in- 
s]H,'t'ior  of  the  M'tlU-nirnt.  The  Irllias  writ- drrjiK-  m- 
'^ra\T(l  in  ihi'  stonr  and  !^il(kd,  ami  a  wreath  ol  native 
llowei>  han^^in^  ahont  the  arni>  of  the  ero^s  showed  that 
in  the  luarts  of  some  at  kast  their  lornier  rnler  was  not 
forL^otten.  The  other  i^rave  was  eevtainh  that  of  an 
I-ai'^lishman ;  a  small  eross  hore  the  nan;e  David  llnme, 
ihonL^h  who  he  was  an<l  whether  or  not  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  an\'  Arctic  exploiin^^  ]iart\'  we  wen.'  nna.hk'  to 
ascertain. 

Jnst  hack  t)\  the  cenieter\-  rose  a  basaltic  riil'.4e  form- 
inL;  a  sort  of  retainin^-wall  to  the  '^wai  (diff  which 
towired  two  thonsand  leet  or  mort-  into  tlu-  air.  It 
ended  on  a  lewd  plateau,  t'ternalK'  snow-ciowneil  and 
tormina;'  an  inlainl  ice  cap  exacth'  similar  to  thai  of  the 
mainland  ol"  ( ireenland.  Sewral  of  the  parts'  ascended 
the  nionntains  nnder  the  guidance  of  I.ieiitenant  l'ear\-. 
wdio  had  li\a-d  at  ( iodha\  11  sex'eral  weeks  on  his  lornier 
trip  to  (ireenland.  They  described  the  climb  as  ron^li, 
but  not  excessively  diflicnlt.  and  the  \iews  from  the 
nionnlain-top  as  indescribable  mai^nificeiit.  .\t  their  letl 
lay  the  iieiiin.snla  and  town  of  (iodliax  ii,  with  Disko  Hay 


I 


f    ' 


a 

,1 


'.I 


f 


■n-^m 


////;  III)'.  K./:  oi'  I  hi:  ki  i  i: 


\\v\  Ilanin  Iia\-  hcyoiul.  I'.otli  wiix-  dt'ttrd  with  .L;;i-.il 
.Mill  litllc  ii'ihcTj^s  sliiiiin.i;  liki.'  ^il\t.■^  in  tlif  .suiili.L;Iil. 
Tin   icT  cap  was  found  almost  as  U\i.l  as  a  llooi. 

Anotlur  parly  explored  llic  \alk'\  of  a  ii\rr  callid  on 
tin.'  map  iIk-  k<.<l  Ki\(.r,  wliicli  inns  into  I)i>ko  l!a\ 
;il)oul  .1  mill-  wi>l  of(i(Mllia\n.  Il  di ■^(.■r\l•<l  its  nanir,  for 
ll.r  lid  nuul  wliicli  it  i-anicd  down  from  tlu'  sandstone 
I'liffs  al)o\f  !L;a\(.-  it  a  dit'idcdly  n.(ldi>li  linr.  It  ofcupicd 
what  liad  ani-icntK  Wvw  a  i^laciii's  Iml,  and  the  laanti- 
ftd  \all(.-\  (failed  lilan/.y  Dail,  or  \\'ind\-  \'alle\  )  allowed 
i\tr\   mark  of  foinK-r  ^laeier  action.      I'roterted   1>\   tow- 


1 1 1 


U'-   tdiffs,  it   was,  at  the  season 


we    \  isited  it,  a  perfect 


lower-garden  of  wild  pl.mts. 


Veil 


ow  popples  nodded  oil 
iiitt'. 


every  side,  while  nian\  otliei  llowi-r>,  hlne,  red,  and  w 
were  found  i\er\  where.  Tlu-  L^ioiind  was  carpeted  with 
nittss  and  a  lew  grasses,  while  the  apoloL^ies  for  trees 
>piiad  tluir  twisted  limhs  idose  to  the  ground  where\er 
tlu'  roots  could  find  a  foothohh  .\s  the  \alle\  was  as- 
leiided  the  \  iew  became  niainiiiliceiit,  for  the  liwr  r.m 
tiir()n<;li  a  narrow  ,U()r,i;e  at  places  more  than  a  hiiiidrtd 
fei  t  in  depth,  and  all  around  were  towerini.;  mountains 
from  which  ic\  streams  r.in  and  dashed  in  foaming;  cas- 
cades o\er  the  cliffs  into  tlu-  water  below.  I.ookiii'^ 
backward,    Disko   I'>a\'    was   seen,   studded   with  ici.l)ei''s, 


some  liii''e  in  si/.e,  soiiu- oiih'  llo;itin''  blocks  ol  ici 


lie 


air   was 


balmv,  ami    the  water  of  the   ba\' 


a\  calm  and 


tiaiiiiiiil  under  the  ])ri''ht  sun.  and  all  was  ;is  i)leas:iiit   as 


I  spring-  da\   in  t)iir  own  conntr\ 


r.iid 


s  and  iiisrt 


is  II 


ew 


about  Us;  amoiin'  them  wire  the  snow  bunting;  and  sr\eral 
'i)retl\-   little    bntterllies  of  \ari(jus  hues.      .\lto''etlK  i,  it 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


IIIIM  IIIIIM 

IM    1112? 

m  '""^ 
iii'i^  mil  2.0 


1.25  III  1.4 


1= 
1.6 


'^ 


V. 


<9 


// 


^1 


m^ 


^a 


'^<r2 


A 


.> 


# 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  8/9  4503 


V 


<v 


^9) 


V 


l\p 


^^ 


o 


c^ 


% 


1> 


%^ 


Q. 


i.0 


G>- 


(P., 


i/x 


. 


'1 


;2 


/.\^  .ik'cr/c  sa:.is. 


was  hard  to  realize  thai  one  was  so  dec])  in  the  land  of 
the  niidni.i^ht  sun. 

W'e  had  another  reminder  of  home  in  the  sliape  of 
moscjuitoes,  which  llew  al)out  us  in  clouds  wdienexer  we 
reached  the  lower  levels.  Thex'  were  hardly  as  venom- 
ous as  our  Xew  Jerse\-  product,  but  at  times  were  \ery 
])ersistent  and  annoNiu!:;.  The  only  things  that  failed  to 
remind  us  of  a  land  nearer  home  were  the  absence  of  np- 
rii;hl  trees  and  the  iiresence  of  the  icebergs.  The  trees, 
so  called,  were  mere  bushes,  perfecth'  flattened  to  the 
ground,  and  sending  up  a  few  shoots  six  or  eight  inches 
liigh,  but  with  leaxcs  luio  flowers  exactly  like  those  of 
our  own  willows.  The\-  often  formed  convenient  cush- 
ions wIk-u  we  wished  k   rest. 

After  we  luid  returned  to  the  ship  Mr.  \'erhocfT  de- 
clared that  the  water  looked  so  pleasant  that  he  would 
swim  from  the  ship  to  the  shore  and  back  again.  Tliose 
win;  heard  the  assertion  attempted  to  dissuade  him, 
pointing  to  the  n  unerous  icebergs  which  floated  about 
in  e\er\'  direction.  Even  when  he  strii)ped  we  all 
thought  that  a  single  plunge  woidd  serve  to  make  liiui 
change  his  mind.  ^Meanwhile  a  crowd  of  curious  natives 
had  gathered  around,  and  were  gazing  at  him  in  mild 
astonishment.  Finally  he  tt)ok  the  plunge,  and  at  once 
started  swimming  \igorousl\'  for  the  .shore.  Alarmed  for 
his  safetx,  and  fearing  thai  a  cramj)  might  overtake  him, 
I  jumped  into  Mr.  Carsien's  little  boat,  which  was  moored 
alongside  the  shi]\  and  followed  him,  being  prepared  to 
render  assistance  if  it  was  needed.  He  reached  the  shore 
in  safel\ ,  howe\er,  and.  turning  resoluleh-  around,  swam 


fc 


■Mil  HBlfF-Jegl^'.'.tiB'^ 


rill-:  ro):  !(,/■:  of  iiif.  kiie.  -3 

l)ack  to  the  vessel,  a  dislance  of  about  two  liinulrcd 
\ar(ls.  He  rccei\e(l,  of  course,  an  ovation,  but  was  al- 
most at  once  taken  with  a  cliill  whicli  at  one  time  looked 
serious.  A  vigorous  rubbin,^  restored  his  eirculation  to 
its  normal  condition,  and  a  brief  rest  made  him  as  well 
as  e\er.  It  was  regarded,  lio\ve\er,  as  a  foolharcK  feat, 
and  one  which  none  were  anxious  to  emulate.  The  effect 
on  the  natives  ol  the  sight  of  a  swinnning  man  was  most 
curious.  The\-  regarded  him  with  constantly  growing 
astonishment.  In  Greenland  the  only  use-  lhe\-  know  for 
water  is  for  drinking  purposes.  Probably  nian\-  of  them 
had  accidentally  fallen  into  the  water,  but  tlie\-  dread 
and  hate  its  effects  as  much  as  does  a  cat.  They  know 
nothing  of  the  art  of  swimming. 

During  the  sta>-  of  oni  ship  at  this  place  the  natives 
were  constantly  coming  and  g<'ing  aboard  of  it,  and  we 
were  told  that  during  the  time  a  \essel  is  l\ing  at  anchor 
in  the  harbor  the\- sleep  but  little.  Midnight  being  as 
bright  as  niid-dav,  and  ha\ing  no  knowledge  of  time  or 
clocks,  the\'  did  not  seem  to  undersland  that  the  rest  of 
us  needed  some  repose.  They  a]ipeared  to  haw;  no  regular 
time  for  sleep. 

Xotwithstanding  the  freed(tm  allowed  the  \isitors.  we 
did  not  miss  an\-thing,  and  th(.\  were  ])ermilted  to  roam 
about  at  ])le;isure. 

Their  favorite  resort  was  the  cook's  galley.  Here 
thev  eagcrh'  sought  an\  renmins  of  foo(l  or  retnse  he  was 
]>leased  to  give  them,  and  dexdured  it  grc-edilv.  Their 
capacity  was  simph'  enormous.  To  test  it  the  exjievi- 
ment   was  made  on   a  \-eteran   who  had  established   tor 


i 


74 


AV  .lk\'77C  s/-:.is. 


himself  a  repntatioti  for  .nonnaiKlizint;  wliicli  was 
"founded  on  a  rock."  It  was  said  thai  lu-  and  liis 
wife,  ]iavin<4'  killed  a  seal  at  some  distance-  from  the 
settlement,  sat  down  on  a  rock  and  proceeded  to  dcxonr 
the  animal.  A  lart^e  projiortion  was  ccjusnmed,  and  the\- 
ate  until  they  were  so  engorged  as  to  be  unable  for  a  (la\- 
or  two  to  start  back  to  the  settlement.  We  took  this  in- 
terestinjj^  individual  down  into  the  cabin,  and,  after  the 
party  had  finished  their  meal,  bej^an  feedinj;^  him  on  the 
remains.  Salt  beef,  bread,  potatoes,  coffee,  veo;etables, 
and  everythinij;  edible  disappeared  down  his  throat  with 
startlin.ti^  rapidity.  He  ate,  and  ate,  and  ate,  until,  after 
havinjT;-  consumed  more  than  enoui^h  for  four  or  five  men, 
and  still  showint;  no  sii^ns  of  bein.t,'-  satisfied,  he  was  re- 
quested to  stop  and  escorted  up  a<^ain  on  deck.  After  wit- 
nessing- his  performance  none  of  us  IkuI  any  doubt  as  to 
the  truth  of  the. story  concerning;  his  gastronomic  opera- 
lions  on  the  seal,  as  just  detailed. 


CHAPTER   V. 

Farkwki-i,  to  C.otmi.wx.  Arkinai.  at  rniKNWiK.  NoTtcn 
Ti)  Marinichs  IX  TiiK  Davis  Straits,  "'riii:  Si;tti.i;mi;nt 
AND  its  Iniiahitants.  — Dick  Islands. 

OX  Monday,  June  29tli,  wc  had  intended  lea\ino^ 
(lodhavn  early  in  the  niornin.y:,  bnt  tlic  weatlier 
being  thick  and  mist\',  we  could  not  .t^et  out  of  the  har- 
bor until  the  fog  lifted,  which  occurred  about  noon-time. 
Mr.  Koch,  his  wife,  and  little  daughter  arri\ed  on  the 
ship  a  few  minutes  before  .sailing-time,  to  sa\-  good-bye. 
Mr.  Carstens  also  came  to  bid  us  farewell.  lie  came  out 
in  a  small  skiff  propelled  by  two  paddle-wheels,  one  on 
each  side,  which  he  worked  by  means  of  a  crank  while 
seated  in  the  centre  of  the  boat.  It  was  an  ingenious 
little  craft  of  his  own  construction,  and  was  named  the 
Fit  I  ton.  At"ter  he  dejxarted  we  weighed  anchor  and  ga\-e 
a  parting  salute,  which  was  answered  from  the  shore, 
and  we  then  bade  good-bye  to  the  ])leasant  little  ]>lace. 
We  had  enjoyed  our  stay  ver\-  much,  and  ho])ed  to  ha\e 
the  pleasure  of  repeating  it  on  our  return  from  the  regions 
farther  north. 

We  were  soon  again  on  the  ojteii  sea,  sail  in,:;  n(,»rth- 
ward  toward  I'pernavik. 

The  change  from   the  strange  sights  at  (io(lha\n  to 


.jttM 


76 


/.\'  .ik\-r/c  s/:.is. 


i 


IIk'  ([uic't  moiioloiu"  of  iIk-  ocean  was  not  nn^ralcTnl,  for 
all   \\v\x-  rather  tired   from  our  experience  while  in  ])orl. 

We  steamed  northward  alon<;- the  coast,  in  si,L;ht  of  the 
land,  all  that  (la\-,  the  whole  of  the  following'  t>ne,  and 
nntil  four  o'clock  the  next  morning,  when  we  sighted 
Upcr'.iavik.  This  i)Iace  is  ahont  one  hnndred  and  ei^ht\' 
miles  north  of(iodha\ii,  in  latitude  72  40'.  The  coast 
between  these  two  places  resembled  that  below  ( iodlunu. 
It  was  of  the  same  mountainous  character,  and  showed 
no  jK-culiar  characteristics. 

In  approaching-  rpernavik  the  harbor  is  e\-en  more  dif- 
ficult to  discover  than  was  that  of  (lodhavn,  there  beim; 
no  ]irt)niincnt  landmarks  in  the  xdcinity.  Ca]itain  Pike 
had,  however,  been  there  se\'eral  times  before,  and  found 
the  entrance  without  difliculty.  The  approaches  to  the 
settlement  are  (piite  tortuous,  it  beini;'  necessary  to  wind 
in  and  out  amonj;-  several  small  islands  l)efore  the  ])lace 
is  reached.  On  neariii!;;-  tlie  settlement  the  cnstonuirx- 
salute  was  fired,  which  was  responded  to  some  little  while 
after.  We  arrived  (lnrin,<^  the  tiiue  of  the  clay  when 
most  of  the  iidia1)itants  were  asleej).  A  few  nati\"es, 
however,  witnessed  our  arrival,  hapjienin^-  to  be  up  and 
about  at  the  time,  and  they  were  soon,  joined  by  the  en- 
tire population. 

The  governor  and  assistant  _i;overnor  came  out  in  a 
boat  to  see  irs.but  were  not  so  aj^rceable  as  our  friends  at 
Godhavn.  This  ma>'  ha\e  ])een  due,  in  jiart,  to  the 
weather,  which  was  cold,  rainy,  and  disagreeable,  and 
also,  perhaps,  to  our  making;  them  leave  ihoir  warm  beds 
at  such  an  early  hour.     We  too  were  not  feeling  \er)- 


////■;  !'(>)'.  !(,/■:  (>/■'  I  III-.  Kill-: 


■sociable,  cauM.'il,  11(1  (l(nil)i,  l)\-  Uk'  al)(>iiiinahk'  wralliLT  and 
I)\-  (lur  lia\-iii!4  rciii.iiiuil  on  (Kok  withoiil  any  <V<\\  for 
iiiaiu    hours,  wailiii''    lor  oiir  arriwil   al  tin.'  SL-tllrincnt:. 


TIr'  visit  (if  iIk'  officials  was  of  sliorl  dnralioii  and  wr\' 
formal.  TIk'N'  \c\\([  to  ns  an  c-xtracl  from  the  Danish  law 
^ovcrnini;  lhL'S(.'  S(.'llk'inents,  and  k-ft  a  copN',   i)rinl(.'d  in 


78 


/X  ./A'(77C  .VA"./.V. 


Danisli    and    Iin<;lisli,  with    Cai)tain    Pike.      Il  read    as 
follows: 

No'i'ici-;  To  Mari\i;rs  in  thk  Davis  vStkati's. 
The  Hoard  of  Directors  of  the  Royal  (Greenland  trade 
make  known: 

1.  It  is  aj^reed  l)y  treaties  between  the  royal  Danish 
government  and  the  United  vStates  of  America,  ( ireat 
I'ritain,  and  other  »States  that  the  west  coast  of  (ireen- 
land,  between  latitude  60°  ami  73°,  be  closed  for  navij^a- 
tion  of  foreij^n  shi])s  and  Danish  ships,  except  by  special 
permission  of  the  r()\al  Danish  _y;overnmeiit,  b>'  whom 
the  monopoly  of  trade  with  f  ireenland  is  held. 

2.  Pursuant  to  the  laws  in  force,  any  ship  navi.t^ating 
without  permission  on  the  west  coast  of  Cireenland  may 
be  seized,  wherexer  met  with,  and  the  ship  and  <;oods 
be  confiscated.  vSimilar  punishment  ma\-  be  ai)plied  if 
any  person  or  perscjus  be  found  tradin<(  with  the  (ireen- 
landers  or  Danish  colonists  from  a  ship  lying  in  a  port  of 
(ireenland  or  off  the  coast. 

3.  vShipniasters  compelled  b\'  shipwreck  or  othei 
causes  to  seek  port  in  (ireenland  shall  not  remain  in  jiort 
longer  than  necessary.  ShijMnasters  shall  also  be  re- 
sponsible for  their  crews  nt)t  remaining  on  shore  without 
necessity  or  in  an\-  way  trading  with  the  natives,  with 
whom  all  intercourse  is  altogether  prohibited. 

4.  The  ol)ject  of  prohibiting  the  navigation  of  the 
west  coast  of  ( ireeiiiand  and  of  maintaining  the  monopoly 
of  trade  is  to  protect  the  native  population  of  (ireenland. 
This  pDpulatiou   will  l)c  threatened  with  ruin  if  conta- 


/■///•;  ro.K,/-:  of  ////■:  kiiI':. 


79 


<^i()tis  diseases  he  broiii^lil  into  the  eouiUry,  or  if  s])iril- 
iidus  licinors  or  other  simihir  artieks  he  imported.  Tlie 
l)()ard  win,  therefore,  he  ol)li<4ed  todeinaiid  that  the  order 
prohihitiii}^  the  na\i_i;ation  (jf  (Greenland  in  e\'er\'  way  he 
respecte(h  ill  case  tlie  crew  of  any  shij)  shouhl  not  slrictK' 
ahstain  from  all  intercourse  with  the  nati\-e  population. 

L'lirhNiiAci.N,  May  .Mli,  1S84. 

.\ftera  short  conversation  the  governor  and  his  assist- 
ant returned  to  the  shore. 

\'iewed   from   the  slii]i,  the  settlement  was  seen  to  he 


smaller  an 


:1   not 


so  attractive  and   jiictnrcsque  as 


that  of 


(iodhavn.  \'e^etation  was  even  more  scanty,  and  the 
])lace  had  (piite  a  desolate  and  dreary  appearance.  It 
contained  two  dwellin.^-honscs,  one  for  the  <;overuor  and 
the  other  for  the  ass'siant  oovernor  ;  there  were  also  a 


ipl 


couple  01  s 


torehouses,  and  a  stone  blnbher-h 


onse  w  lie  re 


the  fats  and  oils  were  rendered  and  prepared  for  slii])- 
iiieiit.  These  huildin,^;s  were  similar  in  style  to  those 
which  we  had  seen  at  (iodha\n,  hut  smaller  and  less  ])re- 
teiitious.  The  Danish  fla.i;  floated  from  a  flagstaff  placed 
in  front  of  the  go\ernor's  house. 

The  native  huts,  about  twenty-fi\e  in  nuniher,  were 
smaller  and  more  dila])idated  than  those  of  the  lower  set- 
tlement. The\-  are  situated  at  the  foot  of  a  mountaiu, 
the  water  from  the  melting  snow  and  ice  of  which  trickled 
down  through  the  village,  making  e\er\  thing  wet  and 
mudd\-.  We  did  not  jMish  our  in\-estigations  very  i'ar 
into  these  hoxels.  The  natives,  numbering  about  a  hun- 
dred,   are  a  miserable,   poverty-stricken  looking  set    of 


V) 


/.\'  .  \Rc I H'  shi.is. 


uiorlals.     TIra'  had  iinlliiiiL;  to  tradt'  imr  {o  sill  l)iu  a  few 
hinls'  L-<'iiS.      \\\-  l)()U''Iil  soiiK'  of  llusc,  and  touiid  lluiii 


<'o(iiI  (.'atir. 


i1k-\-  wiTi-  llu 


;s  ol    tin-  wud  <liu'ks  lliat 


rr(.-i|iK'nlt'd  tin-  iu-i'4hl)orlioo(l. 

Wr  wi'iv  lold  llial  a  wliak'-shi])  had  rallvd  \\\vxv  a 
few  wcuks  hc'loic  oiir  arrival,  and  \.\\v  iialiw-^  liad  lliiu 
sol<l  all  ihaL  \\w\  had  lo  disjxisc'  of.  It  was  forlinialt.'  for 
us  llial  \vr  had  o])taiiird  our  supplv'  of  fur  (.doihini^  at 
(io<lha\'n,  as  othrrwisr  \vr  would  haw  hucai  uual)lL'  lo 
ha\"c  i^ottcu  an\'.  W'c  went  ashon.',  hut.  ouly  slayrd  a 
C{JU])lr  of  hours,  as  tlu'  ])lacc'  possessed  liule  of  imer(.->l 
and  the  weather  was  disa'-reeahle. 


A  dozen  cjr  more  nali\es  came  out  lo  the  ship  in  the 


ir 


kajaks.  These  naliw  boats  are  made  of  seal-skins  sew  n 
toi^I'dher  and  tiL^hlh'  slrelched  o\-er  a  li.^ht  framework  of 
wood  and  bone,  the  seams  beinj.;'  sewn  so  carefulh'  as  lo 
be  waler-li,!nht.  Thex  art'  abt)ul  sixteen  feel  loui^-,  less 
than  fifty  pomids  in  weii^hl,  and  just  wide  enough  lo 
accommodate  a  sin,i;;le  person,  who  sits  in  the  centre,  on 
tlie  bottom  of  the  boat.  They  are  sliarp  at  the  extrtin- 
ities,  which  cur\e  sli<^htl\-  upward,  and  are  decked  (j\er 


witli   ski 


ns, 


■xce] 


)t   a   sn 


Kill 


o 


pe 


nin<'-   in   the   centre,   i 


11 


3=^^-.=-=is^ 


KAIAK    AM)    TAlini  I-., 


which  the  oceu])ant  sits.      This  opening;  is  so  small  that 
it  rcfpiires  some  force  and  skill  on  the  part  of  the  kajakcr 


nil.  \\>y.n,i:  or-  hie  ki if.. 


8i 


to  ])lacc  liinisclfin  position  without  rapsi/in:^;  so  that  in 
altfiMptin.iL;'  to  ^d  in  ilu'v  nsnally  sltadx-  tlir  l)oat  witli 
a  paddU-  ])nt  in  tlir  water  owr  the  side.  AtUr  hcinj^ 
seated  an  a]iri>n  made  of  skin  is  (h-awn  aronnd  iheni  and 
tied  fast  under  tlie  arms,  tlm>  preventing  any  water  from 
enterin.'H'  tlie  Ixiat.  If,  1'  )\ve\-er,  it  should  capsize,  they 
are  unable  to  ^et  loose,  and  are  often  drowned.  They 
use  a  dotd)le-l)laded  ])ad(lle  made  of  wood,  and  ]iropel 
their  boats  with  j^reat  wloeitx  in  all  e<)uditions  of  sea 
and   weather. 

I'asteued  to  the  boat   b\   means  of  leather  tlion^js  are 
the  harpoon  and  spears  which  they  use  in  hunliui;. 


A     K  \\  \kl  ix.    Ill   I.  SA\  IK. 

While  wandering-  throu.y;h  the  \illa.^e  our  attenti(ni 
was  attracted  by  a  nati\e  who  was  e\idently  ill.  r)n  in- 
quirv  we  found  that  he  was  suffering-  from  an  oM  injury 


S2 


/\     //>•(  //'    .sv;  IS 


In  tlif  rii^hl  >lii)',il(li'i-.      I''.\.iiiiiiiin;4  '•'"'  I'lnir  (.-Idsclv,  .in 
(t|n.'uin,L;   \v,i>   sriM    r\tiiiilin-    ilnwiiw.H'I    two   nr   iliirf 

illi'Iu'^    l"liMii    llir    ]Miiiil    dl'    llu'   .sliouliKr.       Ill    lllr    c-;i\ily 

lluis  i'\|iiis(.'il    I),m-  (U:iil   IiiMir  w.i--  x'i.^iMi-:  I  hi-- was  ilr- 


liiclud  witli    llu-  riii''ir  ami    ;ciiiii\r' 


atiil 


hlii'ii'il    to    111.' 


tlu'   rniiaiiis  1)1   ilir   Iumii  nt   llu' anii-liniK 


liad  r\i- 


(K'lith    luHii    willidtu    irraiiiuiil,    ami    luust    lia\r    hmi 
siirfrriii''    Inr   imnith-.      W'luu    wr   >,iw    him    thr   WMiniij 


iiaii 


rrciunl   im  aUriilinii  whatcMT.   ami   was  mily  pvi 


Ircti'tl  !)\'  llu  liir  v(y.\\  whii'li  lir  wnii.'.  'I'lu-  drail  horn.' 
lia\in^'  hirii  niiiowil,  llir  wmiml  would  start  at  oiu-i-  tn 
lira!,  and  ])iol)al)l\'  in  a  sIhmI  liuK-  was  (.■iilin.'K'  chisrd, 
ihoUL;!)  llir  use  of  his  anil  wnuld  In-  iui])airc'd. 


The   wrallRT   hriuL:    thii-k   and    t'oL 


the   ship   was 


detaiiu'il  nulil  ijo\d<Kd>:,  wduii  we  ^ot  lo  sea  and  hade 
i4(ii)dd)\  (.■  ti)  r  jienia\-ik.  'I'lie  mNeruor  and  his  assistant 
Were    the   last    wdiile    nieil  we  eiie()iilil(.Teil  (ill    the    noltll- 


wai( 


1    I  rip.      ( '  peniax'ik  is  in  lalitude 


ami    IS   llie 


last  Danish  settleiiieiit,  with  the-  exception  of  a  still 
smaller  one  called  'I'lissiacic,  siiuali^'d  tweiU\'  or  lweiil\  - 
ti\e  inile.^  further  iiorlli.      W'e  clid  not  slop  there,  hecause 

-   and   insiijniilcanl,    and    would 


il    was   diilicull    oi   ac' 


oiile    haw  ( 


let, 


lined    US    uuiiecessarih- 


W 


understi 


that    llie    seUleUieiil    was    .ilniost    al)aniloueil,    no    while 


men   luiii''    tliei'i 


Ilexond    this  lalitude    Denmark    has 


no  jurisdielion  nor  re])re-enlali\-es.      In  the  at'leruoou  the 
weather  cleared   up,    nian\    ieeher^'S  ccMuiu''    a''ain    into 


dii.      \V 


aw  a  iialU'e   in  ]ii>  kajak,  ;ihout  ihri'e  mile: 


tVoiu   the  shi]),  in   llie   \  icinilv'  ot'  several   small   islands. 
He  wa.>  miles  awa\   tVom  ,m\   known  sellleineiil,  and  we 


1>^ 


■////'  Id)' i<,7:  Dr  ////■:  kin:.  s; 

fliil    imt  v\\\\    liim    lii>   Idin  I\-  IjiV.     (  )ii  .ih-,,  i ,  iii.i^-  lii-M 

lllliMl^ll     till-     llKllilU-    ,L;l.•|--^    lu'     aj'lu.  ;llcil    tM     Iir      r.iinill^ 


l(isvai(l   u>,   i»ul,  M-'tiiiL;  tli.il  w  >.■   kt'pl  dii  oiir  \\:i\\  fiiialh' 
tunird  alxiul  aiiti    jiadilliMl   l)ac-k    to  lii>   island. 

]'*ar!\-  Oic  tol lowing  iiKiniiiiL;  wl'  iwicl u-d  I  )iu'k  Island^. 
'riK->e  \vl:\'  well   i;aiiic-(K  as  i1k\-  IccUR-d  with  duck>  and 


84 


/N  ARCTIC  SI-:.\S. 


all  kind  of  \valcr-f(nvl.  Wc  shot  about  thiL-c  hnndrcd 
of  them,  and  <;atheivd  three  barrels  of  e,y;,L,r.s  in  al)ont  half 
an   lionr.      We   also   fdled    several    lar<re   bas-s   with   the 


eu 


ler-dt 


own   with   wdiich 


tl 


le    nests    were 


lined 


Th 


ese 


islands  were  about  two 
miles  in  eireuniferenee, 
rather    liilh-,    but    not 


monntainou> 


and    eu- 


tirelv  free  from  ice  and 


snow. 


The  nests  were 


M.>1    111'    I  111.  I  ll)l'.l;-l>rc  K 


not  concea 


k'd 


in   crev- 


ices in  the  rocks,  ])ut 
la\'  e.\'])osed  on  the  ground,  in  many  ])laces  but  a  few 
feet  a])art.  They  each  contained  from  three  to  six  lari;e 
greenish  e^ns.  The  ducks  themselves  were  so  tame  that 
they  would  reiuaiu  on  their  nests  until  we  were  so  near 
as  to  almost  j^rasp  them. 

The  ship  was  not  anchored  at  these  islands,  but 
slcame(l  slowh'  around  them  until  the  small  boats  which 
had  taken  ns  ashore  had  returned.  This  procedure  was 
necessar\-  in  order  to  avoid  a  collision  with  the  lari;e  ice- 
bersjs  which  were  coutiuuallv  driftin<'-  ab  )Ut  us. 


CHAPTER  VI, 


CoM.Ai'siNd  OF  AX  IcKiii:i<t;. — In  thk  Mi;i.vii.i.ic  Hay  1'ack. — 

l"l<(i}:S    AND     rANS.--lU"TTINC>    TIlIv     Ici;.— ARCTIC    Sl'ORT. — 

I-iiUTKNANT  1'i:ai{y  hki.aks  HIS  I<i:g. 

SOOX  after  getting  under  way  we  observed  the  inter- 
esting sight  of  an  immense  iceberg  collapsing  and 
falling  into  the  sea  with  a  noise  like  the  londest  thunder. 
The  reverberations  were  remarkable,  and  lasted  (jnite 
two  minutes.  .Many  times  before  we  had  heard  these 
thnnderings  an'i  knew  their  cause,  but  this  was  the  first 
time  that  we  were  near  enough  to  see  the  intensting 
phenomenon.  This  large  mass  of  ice  falling  into  the  sea 
caused  considerable  agitation  of  the  water,  and  our  ship, 
although  at  least  one  mile  away,  was  \-ery  perceptibly 
rocked  by  the  waves  so  produced. 

Toward  afternoon  a  prominent  landmark  catne  into 
view.  This  was  a  peculiarly  shaix'd  nu)untain  on  tlu- 
Crreeuland  coast,  known  as  tlu-  Devil's  'IMmmb.  It  is 
2347  feet  in  height,  and,  towering  far  abo\e  the  sur- 
rounding mountains,  looks  like  a  giganlic  thumb  ex- 
tending upward  from  a  hand.  This  marks  the  entrance 
to  the  dreaded  Melville  Hay.  It  was  not  long  before  we 
encountered  a  heavy  lloe  of  ice,  and  made  but  little 
])rogress.  .\fler  a  few  hours'  steaming  we  tbuud  what 
apjK'ared   U)  be  a  lead  or  opening  in  the   ice,  which  was 


I-: 


86 


/\  .lAc/vc  s/:.is 


iiiinK-(liaU-I\  tollowc-il,  hnl  llu-  waltT  s]):n\'  soon  hn-aiiu- 
iiioi\-  and  nioiT  c'oiilrafUil  and  wc  L^radiialK'  lost  lic-ad- 
\va\'.  In  oiK-  hour  llu-  icr  liad  iiol  onl\-  tdosrd  in  tVonl 
of  US,  hnl  asUrn  al>o.  and  adwancc  and  irlrLat.  \\\i\-  alikr 
ini])ossil)k'.  So  niucli  coal  was  nsrd  in  our  search  for  a 
\va\-  onl  thai  llu-  caj)lain  L;a\-c  np  llu-  alUni])l  for  llu- 
linu-  l)cin.L;.  \\"c  liad  onl\-  worked  our  wax'  ahoul  fuc 
niik-s  ihron^h  llu-  Hoc  wlu-n  wc  found  our  ])assa;;c  ihns 
blocked.  'I'o  our  ri^hl  llu-  Dcx-iPs  Tlunnl)  wa--  \isil)lc, 
rdlhonL^Ii  ([uilc  fil"l\-  miles  awa\ .  In  fi'onl  of  n--  and  lo 
our  k-fl  llu-  ice  slrelclu-d  as  far  as  liu-  i-w-  could  reaa-Ji. 
I'",\en  from  ihe  ma<tdu-ad  no  waU-r  was  lo  ])v  seen  hul 
llial  to  llu-  south  1)\-  which  we  had  approached.  The  ice 
was  (piiu-  lexel,  except  in  ])laces  \\-here  -.oine  of  llu- 
"pm-."  had  been  j.imnu-d  U])  al)o\e  llu-  --urfu'e  or 
wiiere   lai'^e  iceherL;-'  were   imprisoned  in  the  ma>--. 

Tlu-re  was  :d)oui  a  fool  of  snow  on  the  ice,  and  in  this 
WL-re  seui  the  tracks  of  the  polar  hi-ar;  for  '.\Ul\ille  Wiv 
i-~  known  lo  he-  a  la-v'oriu-  ]ilace  of  re-sort  for  ihe-i-  a.ni- 
mals.  it  is  llu-ir  hahil  lo  wander  o\er  llu-  lari^e  ie'e--lloe-s 
in  S(.-arch  of  si-;ds,  and  this  l)a\-,  so  comiuonlx'  full  of 
lloatin^-  ice-,  lornr'>  a  ^^nod  hnnlin^-^roiind  for  llu-ni. 
Tluse-,  the  lirst  hear-lracks  thai  we-  had  se-en.  cause-d  us 
all  to  pre-pare-  oui'  ,mins  in  an',ied])atiou  ol  a  sii^ht  of  tlii-- 
mue'h-wi>Iu-ddor  L^anu-;  hul  althou:;h  we-  ke-pt  a  shai']> 
lookout  for  inan\-  hours,  our\-iL;il  was  unre-w.irde-d,  as  we- 
failed  to  se-e-  a  single-  one-.  Se-\e-ral  pholonra]>hs  were 
lake-n  of  tliis  dre-arv  sce-iu-  at  midni'.;ht.  'Idle  following" 
da\'  the'  ice-  loosL-ue-d  sonu-whal  .uid  we-  were-  a1)ie-  to  ad- 
\-.uice  a    few  miles,  hut   at    s  !'•  M-  we-  were-  aLiain    sliu'k 


nil-:  \\>y.  K.i:  <>/■   i in:  ki'II-. 


^7 


hard  and  fast.  Afur  sewral  aU(.'niiil>  \w  .^aw  n]i  all 
li(i]ic  nl'  making  aii\'  pru^ie-s  that  iu'l^IiI.  '1'Ir-  icx-  \va> 
ver\'  lica\'\-,  heiii'-   six  IdL-iL^lil.  i'vvl  thick,  and  iiiov  ciiimt 


in  ;in\'  diri-i'tKin  was  ini]Hiv>il)a\  a.s  lu-a\  \'  cakrs  or  heads 
(if  ice  snrroiindvd  ii-  on  all  -ak^.  -onu-  ol  tlit-^i-  liian;^ 
nian\-  acre--  in  rxtcait.  <  »iir  hojn-  \va>  that  on  thr  niov- 
row  a  change  of  win.d  or  ti  !c  wor.ld  \\\v  \\>  and  ]ic-rniit 
onr  oiuvard   ]ironi\.<s. 

\\\'  were  now  fiirl\  in  the  Melville  Ha\'  j-ac-k.  'l'lii> 
ha\  is  ne\'(.a'  fri-i-  from  ice,  and  i^  alwa\<  a  dani^eroii<  an<l 
difliiMilt   ]>laee  lo  tra\er--e.      At  niidniL;ht,  the  h'oiirlh  of 


1 


8.S 


/A'  .ih'CT/c  sr.is. 


July  was  iislicred  in  by  firiii,!^  the  ship's  cannon  and  a 
volley  of  musketry.  \Vc  then  ran  up  the  American  fla,u^s 
at  the  fore- and  mizzen-niasts,  dipped  the  ensiirn,  and  .y;ave 
three  hearty  cheers.  While  here  imprisoned  some  photo- 
graphs of  our  ship  in  holiday  attire  were  taken,  and  two 
.seals  were  slujt  and  added  to  our  larder.  At  noon  the 
ice  .seemed  to  loosen  somewhat,  and  by  backing  the  ship 
a  couple  of  lengths  and  going  ahead  at  full  speed  we 
were  able  to  force  our  wa\"  through  enough  of  the  ob- 
structing ice  to  gain  some  open  water. 

This  butting  and  pounding  of  the  ice  cost  us  over  two 
tons  of  coal  to  move  only  fifty  feet,  which  was  a  verv 
serious  matter  to  us  should  the  neccssit\'  for  it  often 
arise,  as  we  were  far  from  au\-  supply  of  coal  and  would 
need  all  we  carried  to  enable  us  to  get  back  to  vSt.  John's. 
We  were  making  two  or  three  knots  an  hour,  which  was 
very  encouraging  headway  through  such  heavy  ice. 

At  last  the  lookout  man  from  the  mast-head  im[)arted 
to  us  the  cheerful  intelligence  of  more  open  water  ahead. 
I'-rom  the  topmast  a  fine  view  for  mau\-  miles  around 
could  be  had.  this  ele\ated  position  not  being  so  exposed 
and  disagreeable  as  one  would  imagine. 

In  common  with  other  .\rctic  whalers,  our  ship  was 
proxided  with  what  is  known  as  a  '"crow's  nest."  This 
consists  of  a  large  barrel  boiled  secureK'  to  the  top  of  the 
foremast.  It  is  juoxided  with  a  seat  and  lined  with  furs. 
vSurrouuding  the  to]>  of  the  barrel  and  extending  about  a 
foot  from  its  edge  is  a  light  iron  railing  on  which  the 
lookout  rests  the  telescope.  The  entrance  is  tlirough  a 
trap-door    in   the  bottom,    which   is  closed  after  getting 


THE  \\)y.\(',i:  oi-   rill-  kiii-: 


89 


insidf,  and  thus  forms  a  floor  to  tliis  lofty  perch.  Access 
to  the  crow's  nest  is  olitained  In"  means  of  a  swini^ini^ 
ladder  leadin<>-  from  the  cross-trees  to  the  bottom  of  the 
cask. 

After  workin<j^  all  ni^^ht  we  came  to  a  fnll  stop  at  S 
A.  ^r.,  and  then  made  no  jiroj^ress  for  some  time  except 
with  the  drift  of  the  ice,  which  seemed  to  be  movinj^ 
northward.  vSnow  and  rain  fell  alternately  thronj^h  the 
day,  and  kept  ns  below  deck.  vSome  of  the  men  went  on 
the  ice  to  look  for  seals,  bnt  retnrned  in  a  few  lionrs  with 
no  lary;er  j;ame  than  an  ivory  .^nll  {daxia  .lllta),  a  bird 
never  met  with  sonth  of  (Greenland.  This  was  the  first 
one  we  had  seen,  and  a  beantifnl  bird  it  was,  ha\in>;-  the 
color  and  j^loss  of  pnre  ivor\'.  We  were  no  Ioniser  in 
si(;ht  of  land;  whether  this  was  due  to  having;- drifted  too 
far  to  the  westward  or  to  the  thickness  of  the  atmosphere 
it  was  impossible  to  determine,  and  we  were  com])elled 
to  await  the  appearance  of  the  snn  or  a  clearin_i;-  np  of  the 
weather.  The  snow  continned  to  fall  nntil  six  (/clock 
the  next  morning,  and,  allhon.i;h  not  hea\\-  emtu^h  to 
remain  lon,<;-  on  the  deck,  was  snfficient  to  increase  the 
whiteness  of  the  snrronndin,!^-  ice.  The  da\-  beini;  dull 
and  misty,  the  j^lare  was  not  so  tryinj^  on  the  eyes  as  if 
the  sun  had  been  shininjn'. 

The  jn'ospect  of  our  lea\iny^  the  ice  was  as  bad  as 
the  weather.  Xo  attempt  was  uiade  to  move  the  ship, 
as  from  the  crow's  U'  st  no  water  could  be  seen.  The 
weather  beiu!.;-  so  thick,  it  would  have  been  imiiossible  to 
see  the  land  e\en  if  it  were  no  further  distant  than  when 
we  first  entered  the  pack.      W'e  had  undonbtedl)-  drifted 


(' 


hi 


tsJiktA 


•/' 


/.\'  .iRciic  si:.\s. 


iii,iii\-  iiiik-s  Willi  tlic  ICC.  1)111  in  what  tlircctioii  wr  knew 
iiol.      Anxious  as  wc  all   were  lo  Ljel   nuitliwanl,  he-in- 
last   in   tile   ici-   had    iiol   oiiIn-  become   iiioiKiloiioiis,   hni 
c\-c'n  more  serious  than  we  had  at  lir.-;t   ihoii'^ht.      It   was 
necessar\-   to  use  considc'rable  coal,   cwn    if  the  fnrnace 
fires  had  to  l>c  banked  and  oiil\-  t'lioni^Ii  steam  kept   up 
to  enable   iis   to  move  as  ojiportiinitx-  arose.      The   next 
da\-  found  the  ice  still  firm  and  fist  about  ns.      Occasional 
li.L^ht  sno\v-S(iii;iIls  were  experienced,  but  about  noon  the 
sun   showed    itsiaf  loni^-  enou,i^h   lo  allow  us  to  take  ;in 
approxini  itc  obscrxation.  and  b\-  ilm'hil;-  ,i  hori/ou  of  ice 
the  latilude  was  f  »nnd  to  l)e  about  75'.      We  were  unable 
to   -et    the    longitude,    and   so   could    not   determine   the 
distance  we  were  off  from    the  coast  of  (Irecailand.      Xo 
land    had   bc'eii  in  si-ht  f  )r  se\-er;d  dax's.      The  followiu-^- 
da\-   al>o   was  cloud\-  ;iiid   dull,  with    snow~S'|ualls  in  the 
alleriKion.      \\'e  were  appareutl_\-  ;is  h;ird  and  fist  in  the 
ice  as  e\-cr.  with  no  indications  of  beiir.;  able  lo  iuo\-e  for 
some  lime.      An  ob.-L'rvation  sliowed  that  we  had  drifted 
three  miles  in   a  soutiierly  direction.      The   U-ninerature 
a\-era!^-ed    31      I'ahrenheit,    the   lowest    1)ein'_;-   2S  \      T!ie 
weather  was   cold   and    cloud'.-,  and    the   nx)st  ,al)out    tlie 
s!ii]>  and  rii;,L;in!^   o-.ivc  e\-er\tliiu-  a  white  and  ])liau(om- 
like  appearance.      The  little   water  that  was  visible   be- 
tween the  cakes  of  ice  and  around  the  shij)  had   become 
Iro/en,  and  made  ice  a  (piarter  of  an  inch  thick. 

Our  position  was  rapidl\-  assuming-  a  more  ,L;ra\-e 
aspect,  as  We  had  now  no  immediate  hope  of  beim;  able 
to  i^et  out  of  the  pack.  The  delaN'  w:.s  be.'omiii'^  still 
more  tedious  and  wc.irisome.     W'e  li.id  uoiliin"  to  do,  ,iiid 


% 


I'  \ 


////.    /■(')■,  u.i:  u/-   I  III:  kill:. 


'ji 


nolliiii.i;  was  lo  hr  S(.i.ii  Inil  icu,  icr  lacia  wIil-vl'.  ;  )iicr  in 
a  wliik'  a  seal  a|i]nai\'(l,  l)nl  \(.-r\-  >li\'  and  hard  tn.i]i- 
jiroacli  williiii  sliootin;^  di^'.aucr.  Wr  niaiKii^rd  In  l;iI 
tliixx'  or  lour  ^uilkaiiols  [Coiiihia  /•'/vvA  )  cacli  da\',  wliii-Ii 
wt-rt'  (|iiitL'  ai'ci.])tal)k'.  'l'Ii<.-\-  an.-  a  s])ii'ic'S  of  diu'k  and 
(k-licalr  in  llaNor,  not  kt-ini^  so  fisliy  as  souu'  of  tin.-  olhrr 
l)irds  wc  had  raU-u. 

As  if  l)y  nia.^ic,  carl\-  llic  next  morning;  thr  ice,  wliicli 
liad  held  as  so  lirnily  in  "k-  .i^rasp,  he^an  to  loos(.'ii,  and 
?klr.  Kcir.'aly,  in  looking  ()\-er  the  side,  noticed  that  the 
ship  was  alk)at,  and  called  attention  t(_)  it.  The  captain  iin- 
niedialely  ordered  steam  np,  and  on  starting  ahead  the  ice 
\-ie!de<l  and  we  were  ahle  to  steam  loi-ahoiit  halt"  an  lumr, 
when  a  hea\-\-  fou;  so  enx'eloped  e\'er\  thin:,;  that  it  was 
useless  to  Droceed,  as  it  was  im])o-'>il)k'  to  ]iicl;  nur  \\a\' 
thron,!4h  the  \-ast  ikies  which  still  retnainecl  alie.id.  This 
sudden  and  rL-niark;d)le  chan;^e  in  the  ])ack,  loM-jnin^;  so 
([uickh'  aftei'  kein^  solid  a  kw  niiniite>  kc;kre,  is  nut 
nnnsnal,  thon-j.h  dilUcnlt  to  explain.  The  la\'oral)le 
cliam^e  made  n^  all  mere  Imptinl  and  clu'erlV.l  than  we 
liad  been  for  some  time  The  lo^;  continued  deu.^e  all 
(law  hnt  late  (hirim;'  the  ni-ht  it  he-an  to  lit't.  \\k- 
had  \et  se\"eral  hundred  miks  to  l;o  hi'lore  reacliini;  our 
ohji-ctix-e   ])oint    in    the  north. 

The  prospect  of  succ(.ss  was  not  cncouraLiiu':^.  lor  we 
knew  that  we  had  many  mik-s  of  ice  \  c-t  to  ]kiss  through, 
as  open  wat(.'r  was  known  to  he  si'arce  troni  here  north- 
ward. This  la>k  would  ha\'e  to  he  accompli>lud  and  a 
return  made  to  a  ]ioint  further  ^outh  than  MeKilie  I')a\' 
to  ensure  us  L;eltim;  home  the  s.mie  year.      The   lhoti;^ht 


ij2 


/A'  .IKCT/C  s/:.is. 


of  jKissiii.L;  :i  winter  in  this  lonely  clinic,  with  its  months 
of  cold  and  darkness,  was  far  fronionr  wishes.  ( )nr  food- 
snpply  was  not  snfficient  to  cnsnrc  ns  cnon.i;li  to  eat,  and 
this,  with  the  memory  of  other  nnfortnnate  expeditions, 
presented  si'ch  a  <flooniy  picture  that  we  endeavored  not 
to  think  of  it.  On  the  i  ith  of  July  land  was  sighted, 
but  so  far  away  and  indistinct  that  the  locality  was  nn- 
rccoj^nized.  Allhou,t;li  the  temjicraturc  was  22°  Fahren- 
heit, the  ice  continued  to  loosen,  and  we  were  able  to 
make  about  ten  or  fifteen  miles.  This  was  the  distance 
actnalh'  steamed,  but  it  was  done  in  windinii,^  around 
and  between  lari^e  fields  of  ice,  and  at  the  finish  did  not 
])Ut  us  fiir  from  our  startinsjj-place. 

At  ci.t;ht  o'clock  on  the  evenin<;  of  that  day  a  dis- 
tressing- accident  happened  to  Lieutenant  Peary.  lie 
was  staiuliui;-  near  the  rudder-chains,  in  the  stern  of 
the  ship,  when  a  lar^e  block  of  ice  struck  the  rudder 
with  i^reat  force,  throwini;-  the  tiller  violently  to  one  side 
and  tearinjj;  the  wdieel  out  of  the  hands  of  the  helmsman. 
The  riyht  le;.;-  of  the  lieutenant  was  cauj^ht  between  the 
rudder-chains  and  the  wheel-house,  fracturin<^both  bones 
at  the  lower  third.  This,  of  course,  comi)letely  disabled 
him  for  the  rest  of  the  vo\at;e,  and,  occurrinf^  as  it  did  at 
a  time  when  all  were  nu)re  or  less  worried  b\'  the  un- 
favorable prospect,  exerted  a  very  depressing- influence  on 
us.  vScveral  of  the  jxirty  thouj^ht  it  better  to  abandon 
the  attempt  for  this  \ear,  but  to  this  Lieutenant  Peary 
would  not  listen.  He  insisted  that  his  le^-  would  be  suf- 
ficiently strong-  by  the  following-  spriu!^-  to  enable  him  to 
execute  his  original  jilans,  and  that  his  assistants  could 


W 


I  III-:  10):  !(,/■:  (>/■'  ////:  a///:. 


93 


undertake  and  carr\'  out  for  liim  tlic  work  llial  lie  had 
kiid  out  to  do  in  the  autmnn  and  winter. 

rn(k'r  th(.-se  eireiinistances  llure  was  nothinj^  to  (\o 
t)Ut  to  procceck  Ik- was  carried  hrhiw,  a  l)ed  prepared 
in  tile  cabin,  and  the  injured  linih  attended  to.  .Most 
of  the  followiu!^'  day  was  spi-iit  in  ])nshini;  and  ])Uttin.L( 
tl;ron!L;li  the  ice,  which  was  soniewliat  looser  than  the 
da\  before.  The  to.n'  still  continued,  and  it  was  ini])os- 
sible  to  make  much  proj^ress.  vSonie  opc-n  water,  ab.'Ut 
half  a  mile  distant,  was  seen  iVoin  the  crow's  nest,  and 
to  reach  this  was  our  ])rinci])al  aim.  ( )nce  there,  we 
could  wait  for  the  fo^  to  lift  and  ha\e  a  safer  and  more 
fax'orable  restini;-])lace  for  the  slii]).  \\'e  desired,  abo\e 
all,  to  L^et  a  si,i;ht  of  land,  in  onk-r  to  enable  us  to  la\-  a 
course  with  some  i)r(.'cisioii,  as  our  ship's  compa>s  was 
\er\'  slu.!4i4i>h,  (,)wini^-  to  our  i)ro.\imit\-  to  the  niai^iulic 
pole.  We  succeeded  at  last  in  reaching;-  the  opLii  water, 
;iiid  in  a  few  hours  the  foi;-  lifted,  thus  cuabliiii^  us  to 
make  c(iusi(k-rable  proi^ress  ihroUj^h  the  now  weakeui-d 
and   broken   ice. 

Duriii!,;  the  afternoon  we  found  (piile  a  nnni!)(.-r  of 
leads  and  more  open  water.  l'nfortunatel\'  the  weather 
a.L;ain  becaane  thick,  and  as  it  was  im])ossil)le  to  see  far 
ahead  of  the  sliip,  it  was  found  useless  to  conlinm-  our 
eflorts.  The  water-course,  if  followed  blindly,  nii.L;ht 
lead  to  more  liea\-y  and  troublesome  ice  than  an\-  wdiich 
had  \(.'t  been  encounteri-'d,  besides  taking  us  far  from  our 
destination,  as  much  of  our  course  had  been  run  tiitirely 
on  dead  reckonin;^'.  The  thermometer  was  as  low  as  20^ 
duriiu'-  most  of  the  da\',  Net  it  ditl   not   feel   as  cold   and 


/A'  ./A'(//f  ■  s/:.  IS. 


(]\>a'^\\-'.a])]v  as  (luriii,L;-  sonu'  i)ir\'i<ius  (la_\s  willi  a  lii.L;]uM 
U'liiiHaMl  niv. 

Allhi  iu;^li  llu'  lliickiK->s  of  llu  atiiid^iilicai'  \va^  c-\- 
Irniu-,  tlu'  (k-cks  and  ri,i_;L;iii.n'  of  tin-  >Iii]i  wvw  coiiiiiara- 
li\(.'lN  ilr\.  'I'lir  liiiniiilily  of  tin.'  aiv  luninl  lo  iiiiiiule 
and  (KlitMk'  frosl-('r\  slals  ii]>oii  iwu-liiiii;  llu-  foldiKv^s  of 
the-  sralrwl,  co\t.'rin;^  llic  ro])(.s  witli  a  hi-aiiliful  ami 
fanta>lii-  wliitr  (.-oaliiit;  llial  .i;a\(.'  to  lltr  wssfl  a  Wfinl, 
c'wii  L;liost-likc,  a])])faraiu'(.'.  Tin.-  wcatlkT  coiitinm'd 
liail  and  iIk'  icr  was  still  Ikmn-v,  the  cakrs  hriiiL;'  lar<;ri- 
than  licfoif.  More  oir'Ii  water  was  nu4  with  than  on 
an\-  da\-  since-  entc-rin^'  tin.-  iniim-nsr  pack.  After  bnttinjn' 
the  ice  lor  an  hour  or  two  we  wc-re  enabled  to  enter  o])en 
water  and  steam  tor  a  c(tn|)le  of  miles,  and  then  the 
hntlin^;  and  smashing  a,L;ain  l)eL;an,  and  lasted  till  another 
stretch  of  water  was  reached.  As  th.e  day  wore  on  the 
W(.-atlK-r  l)(.'came  clear  and  line,  and  was  of  ^reat  assistance 
in  the  naN-i'^ation  of  the  ship.  We  were  favored,  that 
afl<-rnoon.  with  tlie  first  si.^hl  of  kind  we  had  had  lor  o\er 
three  da\"> — to  ns  a  most  a;^reeal)k-  chan,i;e.  It  was  too 
I'ar  awa\-  for  ns  to  he  able  to  reco,L;ni/e  any  distinguishing- 
landmarks,  bnt  we  ran  toward  it,  and  expected  to  make 
out  our  exact  position  tin.-  tollowini;  da\ . 

The  "'  ])Uttini;  "'  or  forcim;  our  wa\-  throui^h  the  lieavx' 
ice  wa>  a  most  interesting.^-  procednre,  althoni;!!  at  times 
soiuewhal  terrifxin^-.  A  ]>erson  seein;^-  it  for  the  fir'-t 
time  is  so  imiM'esM-d  that  he  is  not  likeh^  e\-er  to  for'^^et 
it.  We  were  Compelled  to  resort  to  it  so  often  while  in 
the  Mebille  I'.av  ]-)ack  that  it  ceased  to  be  a  no\-elt\-,  and 
on]\-  when  it  was  so  \iolent  as  to  thiow  one  of  us  to  the 


/  1 


I. 


"T^ 


:\',)i^    ! 


/■///■;  ro):  k,/:  (>/■  ////:  a///; 


95 


(U'ck  or  <iut  (if  liis  chair  did  it  catisf  coiiniiciit.  ""  Hutt- 
ing," to  Msc  llu'  tiiiu  usrd  1)\-  sailor>  in  [\\c>v  seas,  con- 
sists in  torciu'^  {\\v  >liij)  against  [\\v  lar;_;(,-  llo(.'>  or  ]lan■^  ol' 
irr,  litluT  to  hrcak  llicni  into  lVa,L;nit.-iil>  or  to  foiiT  tluni 
to  one  side. 

'Pile  "  pack,"  as  the  wliole  «^Teat  fuld  of  it'e  i>  called, 
is  made  u]i  of  "  noe>,"'  sonu'  hein;^  so  lar^e  that  the  iac 
can  hardly  >ee  their  rurlher  extnanitv-,  and  "])an>^," 
whicli  are  small,  ol'ten  amounting;  to  little  more  than 
ice-l)locks.  The  edi^is  of  these  it'e-fudds  are  ot"  conrse 
\er\'  irrei^ular,  and  hetween  them,  in  iIk'  >iimmcr-lime, 
:ire  ])assa^es  or  "  K'ads  "  ot'  water.  ( )ften  one  tloe  Jn-l 
touches  another  !)>■  a  single  coiner,  ami  heyoiid,  the  le.ul 
\vi<lens  out  into  (|nile  a  chaniKl.  It  then  becomes  mces- 
sar\-  to  hrtak  off  this  corner  to  reach  the  clianmd.  'J'liis 
is  accoini)lished  by  backing  the  ship  tor  sex'cral  ship's 
len,^tlis  and  then  steamiii!^-  at  lull  .siieed  ahead  a.'^ainst 
the  projecliii!^'-  corner.  The  shock,  as  the  ]>ro\v  ot'  the 
ship  strikes  the  ice,  is  terrific.  Sonielimes  the  I'oriier 
breaks  ol'f  and  the  ship  sli])s  easil\-  ihrom^h  into  the  new 
channel,  while  more  Iretpiently,  so  far  as  the  no\  ice  can 
see,  no  a]')precial)le  effect  is  produced.  Then  tlie  cno- 
lution  is  re])eated  ai^ain  and  ai^ain  until  tlie  end  is  ac- 
coniplislied  or  the  captain  sees  that  further  efforts  are  use- 
less. 

It  need  scarceh'  be  said  that  the  work  reciuiro  the 
f^rcatcst  skill,  knowdcdj^e.  and  caution.  If  the  comer  is 
l)rokcu,  it  ma\-  cause  tlie  icc-fields  to  revohe  toward 
each  other,  the  channel  to  close,  and  jnit  the  ship  in 
,t;reat  danger  of  being  nij)pe(l  and  crushed  b\-  the  heavy 


')'• 


/.\-    ./A'(7/(     .VA'.  IS. 


1    \ 


dors.  AH  ].()ssil)lc'  (-•ircunist.UKH-s  must  he  tahcu  into 
cniisidriMtioii  I)\'  tlir  iix-pilot,  and  it  ^axc  us  a  k't'lini;'  of 
fonrKlrncc  to  si(.'  tlirsc-  liar(l\-  W'wronndland  sailors  at- 
tack till'  ice  willi  snrli  i)(.-rtVct  assnrani-f  and  calm- 
ness. 

At   tinus,  t'wn  wlu'ii  tin.'   (lors  arc  qnilc  thick,  the  ice 

is  hrokrn  without  dit'iicult\ ,  while  on  the  other  hand  llie 

shi])   is  often    hioui^ht   to  a  standstill  1)\'  mere  toni;ne.>  or 

slight  projeclious  wdiich  seem  to  (U  1\'  the  Uivvv  of  sleauK 

In   the   latter  case  one  always  has  to  act  with  ;^real  can- 

lioM.  sinci'    it    shows    that    hea\'\'  pressure   is  kt'e])im;  the 

ice   firm   and   solid.      When   suidi  a  t()n,L;ue  is  broken   the 

[]t)v-  are  a])t    to  come  toL^cther  at  some  other  ])oint,  not, 

as  wf  had  inia'^iiK\l.  with  snddennos  and  force,  hut  with 

a  scarcel\-  perceiitihle   mo\-enieut.      They    seemed    to    le- 

\()l\e    upon    their  t^uities  on    the   release  of  tlu'  point  of 

iuipat't,  slowK'  hut   surely  approaching-  eacii   other  until 

tiie\   aL;ain    touched,  and,  crushing;    their  edL^es,  came  to 

a   com])lete   stop  when    the    resistance   of  the   ^reat    lloes 

checked    the    lorce   ol    tilt.'   currents  wdiitdi    mo\-ed    them. 

Of  cour>e  a  \'essel   caught  in  such  a  closin.i;'  channcd  has 

.scarceh  a  chance  ot  escape.      If  the  ice  catches  her  amid- 

shijjs,  the  sides  are  crushed  as  if  made  of  cardboard,  wdiile 

il,  b\   some    fortunate  a-'cidenl,  slu'   rises  on  tlu-  lloi',  she 

nuist  remain   impri>oned  until  anotlu'r  change  breaks  u]) 

the    ice-field    and    a^^ain    allows   her   to    lloat,  should    the 

rou^h   treatment  recei\ed  not  ha\e  made  her  totalh-  un- 

seaworlhx'. 

'I'his  is  the  cause  ci  most  of  the  accidents  which  ucca- 
.siou  tiK'  lo.->s  ol   \(.s>(.Is  in  the  Arctic  rcijit.Mis.      It  was  in 


////■;   I '(>)'.  1 1,/:  ()/■  ////■  A/  //■: 


'>/ 


this  inaiiiKT  that  ihv  I'lulnis  was  wirc-lcfd  whtii  witliin 
a  iVw  \  aids  of  opi'ii  watrr.  <  )iir  captain  tohl  us  that 
those  oil  the  \  (.1,  l)(.Mn^  uiifaiiiiHar  with  the  ice,  le- 
fiist'd  to  l)elicve  in  tlie  dani^cr,  insistin.i;  tliat  the  >Iii]) 
couhl  accomplish  tlie  slii^ht  reinaiiiin,^-  (hstaiice,  and 
would  not  heliew,  until  tlie  ice  actually  came  throuL^h 
the  ship's  side,  that  the  vessel  was  in  such  iniiiiiiient 
])(.ril.  ()nl\-  a  few  hours  ai'ter  the  accident  the  lines 
a.^aiii  separated  in  the  same  slow,  majestic  manner  in 
which  the\-  had  come  to^'cther,  but  tlii-  /'mh  us  sank  in- 
staiitl\-  to  the  depths  of  tlie  oct-aii,  and  what  would  ha\e 
])n;\i.il  !ier  homeward  ])ath,  witliont  <liniciilt\'  or  daiiL;er, 
was  tra\ersed  in  t'.K'  whale-boats  by  which  the  retreat 
to  safety   was  made. 

In  the  midst  of  the  ,L;reat  ice-])acks  there  are  fre(|neiit]\' 
"lakes"  or  spaces  of  open  water,  through  which  the 
slii])  can  pass  nii.il  another  icy  wall  stops  its  progress; 
tlu-ii  a  new  "lead"  must  be  looked  for,  and  the  bnttiiiL; 
rc'coinnienced. 

.So  the  da\s  sli])])ed  by,  sometimes  findiiiL;-  ^ood  leads, 
while  otlu-rs  were  com])lctel\'  blocked  b\'  tlu-  masses  of 
ice  in  front.  \\\-  tried  alwa\s  to  make  .soiiie  pro:L;re--s, 
and  ^enerall\-  succeeded  in  finding  a  safe  anchoraim  fur 
the  \ess(.'l  when  it  was  found  impossibk-  to  ])i<)ceed  far- 
tlu-r.  The  ship  in  these  w, iters  is  not  anchored  to  the 
bottom  (for  this,  we  found  b\  sonndiiiL;,  was  from  si\  to 
nine  hnndred  fathoms  deep),  but  tn  the  tloes  theiiiseKes, 
and  for  this  purpose-  it  was  pro\ided  with  claw^  or  i^reat 
I'ooks  of  iron.  When  progress  was  barred  the  sailors 
r.in  out  upon  the  ice,  aii<l,  cuttiiiL;  a  hole  in  the  lloe,  sank 


98 


/.v  .1KC77C  sr:.is. 


the  hook  deeply  in  the  solid  ice,  tlius  pi-eventini,^  the  sliip 
fromdriftin.o;  from  the  favorable  position  which  had  been 
selected  until  some  movement  of  tlie  pack  opened  up  a 


fresh  lead. 


CIIAI'TI'.R    \'II. 

Ax   Accini-AT   To   Tin:    Siin>.      Niri'i.D    i\    Tin;    ki:.  -I!i.ast 
INC.— Wi:    Kii.i.    A    Hi.AK.  Tai;!.!;  ki:i'.i;i;(,s.— Cai'i:   York 
!^ic.nTi:i).     Dkiitint,    wrni    nii;    I'ack. 

Ol'R  pro.^rcss  was  ui'  coiirsL'  fxc(.-(.-(liiiL;l\'  slow.  (  )n 
July  151I1  llie  wrallicT  cleared  a  link'  and  land  was 
seen  in  tlic  dislance.  ( )l)S(.-r\'alions  showed  llial  we  were 
in  latitude  75'  i'  north,  and  that,  consecpienth-,  in  ele\en 
da\s  of  constant  strn^i^le  we  had  adxanced  only  fiiiv 
miles.  Xexertheless,  patches  of  open  water  were  more 
frecpiently  met  with  than  before,  and  this  was  acconnted 
b\'  the  operienced  sailors  as  a  most  enconrai^im^-  sii;ii 
of  our  release  from  what  had  ,<;rown  to  be  an  almost  in- 
tolerable imprisonment.  The  weather  was  bri!:;ht  and 
pleasant  euous^h  to  allow  one  !o  ,i.;o  ni)on  deck  or  on  the 
ice  without  sulTerin^'  in  the  least  from  the  cold.  In  these 
hii^^h  latitudes  the  heating;;  ciTect  of  the  sun's  ra\s  is  like 
that  felt  on  a  mountain-t(Ji>,  and  i.\en  though  the 
thermometer  was  constanth-  below  the  free/.in,!:j^-[)oint 
our  heavy  clothin;^-  often   felt  o])pressi\e. 

In  the  afternoon,  while  steamin>;  alon^  through  com- 
paratively loose  ice,  the  rudder  was  struck  by  a  heavy 
ice-cake  and  a  link  of  the  rudder-chain  snai)ped.  This 
was  an  unfortunate  accident,  for  it  invoKed  a  delay  of 
three  lu)urs  f»jr  repairs,  and  by  the  time  the\-  were  com- 


i:.'.|^pi 


loo 


/.\'   .lA'C/VC  S/:.IS. 


])lc'tL'(l  our  fa\-()ral)k'  k-ad  liad  closed  and  wt-  were  ai^aiii 
bruuj^lil  to  a  coiupk'le  slo;..  An  (.'xaniinaliou  of  llif  iVaL;- 
nicnts  of  the  chain  showed  tliat  it's  hieakini^  was  (hie  lo 
tile  fact  that  tlie  iron  had  Ijeen  cr\  stalli/.ed  1)\-  the  r^'pealcd 
sliocks  and  blows  lo  which  the  metal  had  been  snbjecled. 

The  lead  c  ])ened  on  tie  following- mornini;-,  and  tlie 
operation  of  butting'  and  forcing;  the  ice  was  ai^ain  re- 
sorted to.  We  made  fair  j^ro^ress,  thon^h  the  weather 
was  thick  and  niist\'  nnlil  abont  4  p.  M.,  wdien  we  hmnd 
onrseKes  in  a  small  lake.  While  the  o|)])osin,L;  wall  was 
b(.ini4'  dili,!_;entl\'  searclK-d  for  a  lead  it  was  noticed  b\-  tlie 
ca])tain  that  the  Hoes  constituting-  the  sides  of  the  lake 
were  Ljradnalh'  coming-  t(\L;elher,  and  we  found  oursehes 
confronted  with  the  possibility  of  a  "  nip,"  that  worst 
of  all  Arctic  accidents.  A  lake  was  oi)enini;  just  ahead 
of  the  ship,  and  to  it  the  ca])laiu  delermined  to  tr\'  and 
work  his  wa\'.  A  narrow  lead  passed  from  one  lake  lo 
the  other,  and  into  this  channc-l  the  shi]-!  was  forced. 
We  had  almost  passed  through,  bul  a  single  an^le  of  the 
ice  barriui^'  our  jiassai^e  and  iIk-  bowsprit  oxerhanniuL;; 
ihe  place  we  desired  to  reach,  when  we  snddeid\-  f  )uud 
that  our  progress  was  coni])letel\-  slop])ed.  TIk'  shi])  re- 
fused to  ^o  either  ahead  or  astern,  and  it  was  c\-idenl 
ih.it  il  was  caught  betwien  the  eili^es  of  the  Hoes  which 
couslituted  the  bordvrs  of  the  lead.  We  were  ui])ped  in 
the  ice. 

Captain  I'ike  and  hi,;  crew  realized,  of  course,  the 
peril  in  which  we  were,  bnl,  like  true  sailors,  i^.ue  no 
e\i(k'nce  ol  il,  nor  did  an\'  ol  us  know  of  the  dau:,;er  uulil 
il  was  safeK'  passed.      'Vhv  s.ulors,    followed  b\   man\   of 


'V   ,  1!'} 


////•;  ro): !(,/■:  o/'  ////:  kin:. 


U)\ 


liK'  ]iarl\\  al  once  junii)cil  on  llie  icc  and  allcMnplLil  to 
open  a  ]iassa,i;c  with  cr()\vl)ars  and  wooden  beams.  It 
was  found,  liowcwr,  loo  lliick  lo  rrnder  lliis  feasible, 
and  we  were  initialed  into  another  Aretic  de\iee:  lioles 
were  (h'illed  in  the  ice',  and  a  bottle  fdled  with  '^\\\\- 
powder,  attached  to  which  was  ,i  fnse  that  had  the  ])o\,er 
of  biirnini^-  niider  water,  was  lied  to  the  end  of  an  oar; 
the  fnse  beiniL;'  ignited,  the  oar,  with  the  bottle  altachetl, 
was  sho\'ed  thron,L;h  the  o])enin,!4-  ■'"•^  down  nnder  the-  edi;e 
of  the  ice,  wh.'re  it  exjiloded.  'Idle  first  alteni])l  laileil 
on  acconnl  of  the  imperfect  sealim^'  of  the  bottle,  and  the 
second  failed  for  the  same  reason;  a  '''rd  bottle  e\])loded, 
bnt  without  effect  on  the  ice.  Two  more  were  sininl- 
taneonsh' exploded,  and  a  i^real  c;ike  was  blown  from  the 
edi^e.  The  ship  was  at  once  pnt  astern,  and  in  a  few 
minnles  it  was  in  comparati\e  safet\'  in  a  corner  of 
what   had   been    the   larL;e  lake   we   had   left. 

.So  little  did  we  realize  the  danger  of  otir  silnation 
that  those  of  ns  who  were  not  assivtin^  the  crew  spent 
the  lime  in  ,^ambo!lin^  on  the  ice  with  the  do.!.;s  or  in 
l)holo!.;rapliinn-  the  ship  and  the  nier  endea\-orinL;  to  le- 
lease  her.  The  next  da\-  the  captain  pointed  (jnl  the 
location  thai  the  >hip  had  ociMi]iiL(l.  It  w:;  .  piled  np 
with  irrcL^nlar  blocks  ol  ice  from  thirteen  to  twent\  feet 
abo\e  the  snrface  of  tlu'  tloes,  showing  the  tc-rrific  fort'c 
with  which  these  had  coinc  together;  yet  so  >low  and 
majestic  is  their  movement  that  it  is  only  aftea-  >\\v\\  ,in 
object  lesson  as  this  that  one  can  realize  the  lorce  behind 
them. 

This  was  destined    to   be  an   e\entlnl  daw      The  \'es- 


'■^'"-'^ 


'im^R^^ftgHis-csmiM^ii 


I02 


/.V  .  IKC7/C  S/:.  IS. 


s<j1,  soon  after,  lia\-in^-  l)ri.u  iiiaik'  (:\>[  to  the  ice  (a  safe 
liarljor  lur  it  Ikumiil;  l)een  Iwund),  some  t)t'  tlie  paitN' 
started  out  14)011  the  Hoes  to  shoot  tlie  ,miilIeniots  which 


KtL-ly.  I'jiirk.  K'iii:i1y. 

IN    AKi   I  ir    A  M  lUi: 


Cit.-pn. 


wer<>  e\erv\vliere  plentit'ul,  wliile  tlie  rest  retired  to  the 
sechisiou  of  the  cabin,  not  relishing-  the  damp,  cold  air, 
and  aimiscd  lhcmsel\"es  1)\  readiui;-  and  chattiiii^-.  Il 
was  alxnit  10  ()"ck)ck  at  iiii^lil  when  one  of  tile  sailors 
oiKMied  iIk;  door  of  the  cabin  and,  in  a  voice  of  suppressed 
excileinent,  uttered  the  simple  word,  "I'.ear."  In  an 
instant  all  was  confusion,  for  we  were  all  anxious  to 
view  the  j^reatest  .^anie  of  the  Arctic  region.  Ivich  one 
made  a  jump  for  his  ritle  and  then  rushed  for  the  door. 
On  r(\,,^1-, ',15^  the  deck  we  looked  out  upon  the  ice  and 
.sc.  \-  .r.  ..  11.  He  was  about  three  hundred  yards  olT, 
■:..  tl'.-   (.    .  .n.\ient  liis  presence  occasioned  was  increased 


11  n:  ro.K,/-:  (>/■   ////■:  kiii-:. 


i'\i 


\vlicn  it  was  discoNcitd  lliat  lir  was  k'isnrcK'  hut  sntflx- 
ai)pr()acliiii,L;-  the  sliip  witli  his  piiailiav  hnnhiaiii,^-  ,^ail. 
Ik-  woiihl  slop  v\cx\-  iVw  yards,  liold  up  his  lKa(h  ihtii 
swin.t^  it  sh)\vl\'  iVoni  siik-  to  side.-,  aud  ai^aiu  ajipioarli. 
\\\  tlic-  captaiu's  diixctidn  Wf  crouched  hchiud  tlic  liul- 
warks  of  the  sliip  and  vested  our  riHe-ljarrels  ou  the  rail. 
It  is  tile  habit  of  the  pohir  hear  to  approach  au\'  slrauL;e 
ol)ject  lie  may  see  until  he  comes  near  enough  to  scent 
it.  His  eyes  are  (piite  small  aud  his  \isioii  poor,  aad  he 
frecjueutly  approaches  \es>els  which  are  out  of  his  raiii^f 
of  scent. 

It  was  fortunate  that  tlie  wind  was  blowiiiL''  stron,!^l\- 
from  the  direction  in  which  he  was  comini;-,  and  he  was 
unable  to  disco\-er,  by  his  keen  sense  of  smell,  what  or 
who  we  were,  or  to  reali/.e  the  danger  he  was  iiicnrriuL;. 

While  lie  was  slowly  approaching^  the  captain  weiii 
below  to  in\ite  Mrs.  Peary  aud  the  rest  who  were  in  thai 
])art  of  the  sliij)  to  come  and  set'  the  L;reat  animal.  \\\ 
the  time  they  reached  the  deck  he  was  much  nearer  than 
when  first  discoxered,  and  still  ct)ntinued  his  approach, 
though  slop])iniL;  more  fre(pieull\'  to  regard  the  ship,  and 
then  alteniateh'  walking  and  loi)iu^  in  a  pla\ful  man- 
ner, evidently  determined  to  iiu-esti^ate  the  curious 
monster.  This  most  interesting  performance  was  cut 
short,  when  he  was  but  lift;,  \ards  from  the  ship,  by  the 
sf)und  of  a  shot  fired  at  some  birds  by  the  i)arl\'  out  on 
the  Hoe,  wlio,  l)ein!L;  in  tlie  opposite  direction,  had  of 
course  no  i(k'a  of  the  situation.  luslanlly  the  I'car 
stopped  aud  reared  iqion  his  haunches.  This  was  too 
luucli   for  one  euthnsiastic    watcher,    and,    a<;ainsl    the 


\ 


iMj  /A'  .  //,'(•//(  ■  .sy;.  IS. 

;u'cvpk'(l  ouk-y  thai  wu  should  all  liiv  I <)-<,■  1 1  if r  wlnii  llic 
si-iial    was   -ivni    l)\    iIr.   captain,  he   shot    al    ihr  hear. 
'Vhv   rrpori   of  liis  rillc-  was   ]ianll\-  luMrd  wlnii  a  ^■olk•y 
was  (•irc'<I  anil  tlu-  In-ar  sla--viv(l  and  tl-ll.      Wc  Mippo>c-(l, 
■)l   coinsi',  that    hew, IS  (lead,  and  jumped    tVoui    the  side 
;)l    the    \-essel    to    reach    and   exauiim     hiui.      The  -real 
white'   ])ear  is  not,  however,  >o  easil\-  killecK  and   hefoie 
we  could   -el  to  hiiii    he  wa>  on  his  feel   once   more  and 
made  a  sla--erin-  rush  for  tln'  water.      His  >]ionlder  was 
nppareulh-  hrokiai,  and  he  fell  he.pieuth-,  hut  still  .-^tum- 
hlc'd  on,  wliile  tliose  on  the  ice  who  lia<l  taken  their  rifles 
with  them  fired  shot  after  shot  in  \ain.      The  excitement 
'tclore    tile    \-ollev    was   fired  was   ver\-  ,L;rcal,  but   now   it 
was  at  l"e\er  pitch,  for  we  knew  from  what  wc  had  heard 
that  il  he  reached  the  open  water  he  was  sate. 

The    .\rctic   sailors   call    these    heaNls   tlie  \valerd)ear, 
because   t]ie\-   can    swim    with    -reater  speed   than  a  boat 
can    be    propelled    bv   oars.      If  the  bear  was  not  dau^er- 
"uslv  linrt,  therefore,  he  would  ocape,  and  if,  as  we  found 
alterward   to  be  the  case,  he  was  niortallv  wounded,  his 
lH)d\-   would   sink,  and   thus  a-aiu   we   would   h)sc  him. 
Theshootin- wasc()iise(pieiitl\-oftlie  wildest  descriiUion, 
and  probablv  verv  few  of  the  bullets  reached  tlie  tar-et. 
vSla--eriu-    fillin-    and   leavin-  a  l)road   trail   of  l)lo(„l 
on    tile  snow-covered    ice,  he  ran  for  the   lead  some  two 
hundred   \ards  off,  and   had  almost   readied  the  ed-e  of 
the   lloe  when  a  well-directed    bullet    struck    him    in    the 
base  of  tlu'  skull  and  he  snceumbed:   the  prev  was  ours. 
Maii\-  willing-  liauds  niauued   the  l)oat,  wliitdi  was  at 
oiiee  launched,  a  line  wa>  put  about  llie  I)ear's  neck,  and 


,!  1 ; 


l-JJi 


riii:  \()Y.\(.i:  <)/■   iiii:  kiii:. 


lo: 


1k'  was  1()\V(.-<1  in  Iviuiniih  to  llir  si(K'  of  tlu'  >liii>.  Iltiv, 
l\iii!4  at  full  k'li^lli  (»n  thr  ice,  he  was  |)li()liii^ia]ilKil  and 
nuasurtd.  \\v  proxcd  to  he  a  full-^rown  male.  In  liis 
I)()(l\-  were  nnnieious  hnllel-lioles,  showint;  tlial  almost 
all  the  hnllels  of  tlie  original  \()lley  had  striiek  him. 
( )ne  had  ])i(.reed  his  lieart,  while  anollur  had  Inoken 
the    shoulder.       To    lia\  e    heen    so   active,  and    to    ha\e 


shown    the   \italit\'   which    lie    did  after  recei\ini 


>ucn 


serions  wounds,  shows  the  remarkahle  endurance  ('f 
these  animals.  lie  was  accounted  1)\  the  sailor>  to  hi-  a 
lar^e  s|HiMmen,  and  measured  se\en  feet  one  inch  in 
length,  and  stood  three  feel  four  inches  hi,L;h  at  the 
shoulders.  The  sole  of  his  foot  was  fourteen  and  one- 
half  inches  in  length,  and  he  weighed  between  six  and 
sewn  hinidred  iionnds,  The  fur  was  \-er\'  thitd-;.  louir, 
and  of  a  yellowish-white  color,  in  marked  contrast  to  the 
l)nre  whiteness  of  the  snow.  His  claws  and  tteth  were 
\er\-  larne,  and  his  skull  so  thick  as  to  be  almost  iiuul- 
nerable. 

.\s  I.ietitenanl  Peary  desired  the  meal  for  jiroNisionint^ 
his  camp,  the  hide  was  removed  and  the  risl  of  the  car- 
cass cut  into  (juarters,  as  is  commonly  done  with  beef. 
Most  unfortnnateh-,  the  two  hind  (juarters  were  lost 
while  l)ein,^-  washed  iM"e[)arator\-  lo  han,i;inj^'  them  in  the 
forctop  for  ]M'eser\-alion.  A  careless  sailor  hail  lasUned 
ihcm  lo  a  line  with  a  loose  knot,  and,  slijipini;  from  this, 
they  sank.  The  rest  was  safel\'  stored  awa\',  to  be  added 
lo  the  larder  of  the  little  encampment  ;il  Whale  Sound. 

Thereafter  a  careful  watch  was  ke])t  for  these  ^reat 
animals,  but,   although  tracks  were  plentiful,    we  were 


loS 


/.\'  .  //>'(  //(   s/:.is. 


iKil  n'waidiil  will)  llir  >i,L;lit  of  ;m\  ninrr  until  IwndaN's 
hilrr,  uIkii  a  slir  hrar  and  lirr  twd  iMih^  wire  .sixii  at  a 
ciin^idi  rahlr  di^lan(^,•  iVuni  tlir  slii]>,  lluir  \  (.How  i>li  lur 
in.d^inL;  tlirni  c'Uail\-  di>tin,L;ni>lial)li.-  aL;ainst  llir  ic\- 
hackj^roiind.  Thi.'  \i»(.l  was  iK-adrd  in  llirir  diicT'lion, 
and,  a>  in  [\\c  case-  of  ihr  loinur  biar,  tliry  i'\  incid  iu> 
Irar  of  llu'  siran^r  oI)jrct.  rnlorlnnaUdy,  Wf  wx'W  i-oin- 
lalUd  lo  Ljo  to  windward,  and  as  soon  as  tin.'  si'cnl  icaclu'd 
llu  ni  i1k\  c-oiuiiK  luxd  to  r(.lri.'at.  Tin.'  niotluT  l)i.ar 
ronld  inn  lik''  a  race -Iiorsi.',  hut  she  .slo])])cd  (.Airy  onci-  in 
a  wliiK-  to  wv'^v  \u'v  rnl)s  to  t^riMlrr  speid.  llfiuL;  ont  of 
ran^c  of  our  rilk'S,  a  ediasr  was  or,naniz(.<l.  TIk'  i)arty  on 
llu'  ivv  priMiiltd  a  ratlur  Indicrons  picture  runniuj^  an<l 
slnnd)lin^  owr  its  ron,i;li  and  liunnnock\-  surface,  wdiiU- 
the  hears  progressed  without  the  slightest  difl'iculty  and  at 
a  far  i^ '"eater  rate  of  spc'cd.  The  chase  was  soon  al)audoncd 
and  the  part\'  recalled,  the  ship  itself  Inaui;  started  in 
jnnsuit;  hut  the  lead  was  fdled  with  hlocks  of  ice  wdiich 
relarded  our  progress,  and  the  hears  were  so  thorouL^hh 
frightened  that  lhe\'  disappeared  without  a  siui^^le  shut 
l)einL;-  lued,    and   we  saw  iheni   no  more. 

Alter  the  excitenient  of  the  killinii;  t)f  the  hear  had 
snh>rle(l  the  uiouolon\-  of  the  x^ya^e  was  a^ain  resniMcd. 
()n  tile  next  allernoon  snow  fell  in  lari;e  (|uautitit  ■;-  - 
lar;4er,  in  fict,  than  at  an\-  lime  since  we  had  s'  ir'.ed 
north — and  the  <lay  looked  like  a  midwinter  one  al  lioinc. 
W'e  sleanud  ahead  at  the  rale  of  lour  knots  an  hour  for 
twent\-foin'  liour^^,  the  water  heiui;  now  com])arativel\' 
open.  .Much  driit  ice  and  enormous  table  icebergs  were 
jiassed,  hut  !>\'  carelul   steering'  we  avoided  all  collisions. 


i)'f| 


////;  !(')'.  K./:  (>/■'  I  III   kill: 


i(  11/ 


It  i-^  (lirficilll  to  c>til)l;itc  tin  ->i/r  (if  \\\c  ;^rr;it  In'Ij^s  set 
t"uT  iViMll  tllf  I4l;u'i(.l-  of  tilr  l,ir  Ndllll.  Till  |L;iU'>sr>  (i! 
till'  n(i\iri>  \V(.if  ai'iKin  ntly  ,is  .ii'rtn  H'-  ;is  tlioM' of  llu' 
iwiKt  inu'id  siiilois.  All,  Iii)\\i\  (.r,  a^ind  lli.it  llinsr  \\r 
saw  thai  (la\  Mupas^i'd  in  ^'v/.v  auv  mth  l)il"(iir.  (  )iir 
was  iIi()1il;1iI  1>\  tin.'  nl'fu'iis  of  ilir  AV/^  to  In-  iiKur  than 
six  niik'S   in  kai,i^tli,  and  stixli'lied  its  \i.rtiral  walN  I'nllN- 


../^/^P 
■,     ^^,  _ 

r/^^ 

A   (.K!  A  I     \i  'l:  I  III  i:n    hi  W  K'i. 

three  hnndii'd  iVrt  aboM.'  llu'  water.  Tlu'  crew's  nest  en 
(inr  mast-head  was  s(.Aeiil\'  lul  al)ii\i'  the  cKck.  and  at 
this  hei;_;hl  it  was  aiiparrnt  that  llu-  Itip  snilai'e  ti|'  tin- 
^ri'al  table  ol'  iee  was  still  far  ahoxi'  it.  'Idle  l)(.-r,L;s  nut 
with  in  this  loealit\-  were  unite  diri'ereiit  iVnin  tlii)-<e  ]ire- 
\-i(in>l\'  encountered.  'iduA-  were  no  longer  rnL;,L;ed  in 
outline,  with  iiiniuudcs  and  \aried  slia])cs,  hnt,  latlur, 
linL;e  blocks  ot"  icL,  ne.irU'  s(inarc  and  ol"  iiiinien>t'  si/c. 
'riie\'    had    e\id,cntl\-    been    recentK'    relea>ed    iVoni    the 


I  KJ 


/.V  .lA-C/VC  .SVi./.V. 


P 


j^Mval  '^rlacirrs  of  tlie  Xnrlli,  and  the  water  and  air  had  not 
vvi  Iiad  a  chance  to  car\c  thcni  into  llic  cnrioiis  spires, 
caverns,  and  towers  whicli  liad  cliaractcrized  tlie  icebergs 
seen  floalinj;  from  the  ghiciers  further  south. 

The  (h'ift  of  tlie  water  in  tliese  seas,  so  far  as  could  be 
made  out,  was  northward  alon.^-  the  west  coast  of  (jreen- 
huid  as  far  as  ]\Iel\-ille  P>ay.  Here  the  stream  is  deflected 
to  the  west  !)>•  the  sontherl\-  flow  of  the  Arctic  current 
and  the  projection  of  Cape  York,  and,  sweeping  down  the 
east  oast  of  Xorth  America,  emerges  finally  in  the  open 
ocean  south  of  Xewfoundland.  C)ccasionally  this  icy 
current  flows  down  our  Atlantic  coast,  and  bathers  are 
then  made  to  suffer  from  the  loweied  teuiperatin'c  of  the 
water. 

On  Jul\-  iStli  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  Cape  York,  but 
the  weather  was  cloud \-  and  foggy,  and  wc  could  not  be 
sure  of  our  exact  jiosition.  The  next  day  found  the 
weather  still  dark  and  gloomy.  A  bitterly  cold  wind 
tVom  the  south-west  was  blowing,  and  the  black,  threaten- 
ing sk\-  gave  the  scene  an  appearance  of  midwinter.  An 
occasional  snow-s(|uall  added  ewn  more  to  the  dreary 
outlc)ok,  and  gave  us  a  faint  idea  of  the  misery  and  hard- 
shi]")s  to  be  encomitered  in  legions  farther  north. 

Xo  attempt  was  nuule  to  mo\e  the  ship.  We  suiv 
posed  that  we  were  still  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Cape  York.  ^  ut  as  the  da\'  was  dark  and  our  conqiass 
so  uncertain,  a..d  we  had  had  such  an  imperfect  sight  of 
land,  we  did  not  know  in  which  direction  to  proceed. 
The  ice  was  troublesome — so  much  so  that  we  were  en- 
abled to  make  but  a  few  miles  in  the  direction  in  which 


Till'.   \oy,]i'.h:  or  iiir.  kiii-:. 


1 1 1 


\vc  iufcrrt'd  llic  land  to  l)c.  The  icebergs  were  \ery 
numerous,  and  still  larger  and  higher  than  any  we  had 
yet  encountered.  On  July  20th,  at  4  v.  M.,  the  fog 
rolled  away  sufficiently  to  allow  land  to  l)e  seen  to  our 
right,  and  Cape  York,  latitude  76"  2',  longitude  6(S  4', 
distant  only  seven  miles,  w-.s  in  jilain  view.  The  chro- 
nometer was  found  to  be  correct,  and  the  jirospects  of  our 
vo\age  looked  more  encouraging.  We  had  intended 
landing  on  the  cape  to  undertake  some  explorations,  but 
ice  was  again  more  abundant,  and  it  was  found  impos- 
sible to  reach  the  shore;  indeed,  so  hea\-\-  and  treacherous 
was  it  that  even  if  we  had  succeeded  in  gaining  the  land 
our  return  to  the  ship  might  have  been  made  impossible 
by  the  breaking  up  of  the  floe. 

Mr.  Duniphy,  the  second  mate,  ha\-ing  gone  a  short 
distance  away  from  the  ship  on  the  ice,  was  surprised  to 
find  a  small  piece  of  board  about  a  couple  of  feet  long. 
Manv  were  the  siKxnilations  and  conjectures  indulged  in 
as  to  its  nuxle  of  getting  there.  We  could  think  of  no 
more  plausil)le  cxi^lanation  than  that  it  ha<l  been  thrown 
overboard  from  .some  whaler  which,  possiblw  might  ha\e 
preceded  us  earlier  in  the  season.  Small  though  the  in- 
cident was,  it  .served  to  break  the  monoloiu'  of  oiu'  >la\' 
in  the  ice,  and  gave,  for  the  time  being,  a  new  dir  ■ctit)n 
to  our  thoughts. 

This  day  was  bright,  warm,  and  sunn\-,  the  be>t  we 
had  enjo\ed  for  two  weeks,  and  a  most  agreeable  change. 
To  the  north  the  ice  was  as  hea\\-  and  impassable  as  that 
.which  was  between  us  and  the  shore. 

( )ur  an.xietN'  was  increasing  dail\.      We  were  desirous 


112 


/.v  .]k'cric  SR.is. 


of  ivacliiii!^  our  (Ustiiiation  as  soon  as  possibli.',  lor  the 
suiiiiiRT  was  ])assiii,!^  ra])i(ll\-,  an<l  il  would  soon  l)i' 
nc-c'L'Ssary  U)  coinnicncc-  our  return.  Delay  would  in- 
crease the  (lanj^er  of  our  heinj^'  caus^ht  in  the  ice,  and  ])er- 
haps  compel  us  to  remain  all  winter.  The  following' 
da\-  was  also  l)ri,L;ht  and  clear,  and  the  land  near  cnouijh 
to  allow  us  to  L;et  a  j;ood  idea  of  the  country.  Several 
lar^e  f;l;iciers  were  plainly  visible,  and  the  snow-covered 
mountains  were  ^rand  and  iniiMJsinj;-.  The  ice  continued 
to  bar  our  way,  and  to  the  northward  was  one  solid  pack 
whose  limit  could  not  be  made  out  from  the  mast-head. 
It  was  the  most  formidable  ice  we  had  yet  encountered, 
and  we  feare»l  it  mij^ht  prevent  further  progress. 

We  waited  here  four  days,  ho])ing  all  the  while  lor 
the  ice  to  break  and  permit  our  ]Kissagc.  To  tlic  south  we 
still  had  a  good  chance  to  escape  sliotdd  we  deem  it  ad- 
\isable  to  beat  a  retreat  and  renounce  all  hope  of  reaching 
Whale  Sound,  which  was  still  one  hundred  and  sixty 
miles  to  the  northward.  Matters  now  a.ssumcd  a  rather 
gloom\-  look.  It  was  ini])ossible  to  land  I/ieiitenant 
Pear>'  on  tiie  shore  at  this  point,  even  had  he  desired  it; 
and,  could  we  have  done  so,  it  would  ha\e  been  neces- 
sary for  our  small  party  to  drag  all  the  stores,  supplies, 
and  materials  for  his  house,  on  ini]irovised  sledges,  o\er 
the  rough  and  treacherous  ice  a  distance  of  ten  miles. 
At  any  time  the  ice-pack  might  have  broken  up  an<l 
drifted  far  away,  leaving  perhaps  jtart  of  the  lientcMiaut's 
effects  on  the  land  and  the  rest  on  the  ship,  which,  cau.i^lit 
b\-  the  drifting  ice,  would  lia\-e  l)een  miab'e  to  return  and 
land   the  remainder.     \\\\  plan  which  inxolved  the  I'os- 


I 

w 


:'■///•;  /v) )•.//;/-;  oi-  mi-:  kite. 


113 


sil)ilit\-  of  such  a  scparalioii  of  tin,-  iKirl\'  and  stores  would 
imperil  llu-  succxss  of  the  cnlcrprisf,  brsidrs  k'axiui;  the 
expedition  a  hundred  and  si.\t\  miles  farther  south  than 
had   been  anticipated,  and  was  not  tcj  be  thought  of 

Lieutenant  I'eary  was  still  confined  to  the  cabin  with 
his  broken  lej^-.  He  was  very  patient  and  hopeful 
tlironi>liout  this  tryin_i^  ordeal,  and,  notwithstandin,<;  lia\- 
\\v^  all  the  responsibility  of  the  expedition  resting-  upon 
him,  remained  cheerfid  and  sanj^uine  of  success.  This 
.served  [^reath'  to  cheer  us  at  a  tinu'  when  we  most  needed 
cnconra<;enient.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  fourth  da\-  a 
stront;-  wind  from  the  east  came  up,  and  was  rej^arded  as 
a  favorable  siiiu  b\-  our  captain,  who  said  that  if  it  con- 
tinued for  a  couple  of  da\  s  it  would  separate  the  ice  and 
leave  us  a  channel  b\  which  we  nii,L,dit  be  able  t(;  work 
our  way  onward.  The  pack  seemed  to  be  drifting;  north- 
ward, taking  us  alon,<;-  with  it.  This  ajipcared  to  be  due 
to  a  surface  current,  as  the  icebergs  driftini^  south  showed 
the  existence  of  a  deeper  current  tending  in  that  direc- 
tion. 

There  was  no  lack  of  sport.  Thousands  of  birds  were 
to  be  seen  in  everv  direction,  and  in  such  llocks  that 
many  could  be  brought  down  b\-  a  single  discharge. 
There  were  several  varieties,  but  the  do\kie  or  little 
auk  were  most  nnmerons,  and  were  brought  to  the  ship 
by  the  hunters  in  consider.able  nund)ers.  Hardly  a  day 
went  by  without  a  seal  or  tw  >  being  obt. lined,  and.  with 
the  meat  of  the  bear  latel\-  killed,  our  table  was  ])lenti- 
full\'  supplied  with  fresh  meat. 


I 


'I!    , 


•i    ' 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

T'Ri:k  onck  :\Ioui;.— Cai'ic  Fakky  and  W'iialr  Sofxn,— An 
I'SKiMo  Vii.i.AC.i:.— Till-;  N\Tivi:s.— Contrast  with  tiiic 
1m'i;c,ians.— Ri-i.ics  from    ICskimo  ('.ravi:s. 

OX  the  23d  of  July,  at  6  o'clock  in  the  niornin.i;,  an 
unlooked-for  breakincr  up  and  driftiu.t;  of  the  ice- 
pack occurred.  The  ice  beoau  to  show  si,y:ns  of  separat- 
ing-, and  within  an  hour  or  two  a  channel  lar^e  enou,^:h 
for  the  ship  to  sail  in  was  ready  for  us.  vSteani  was  im- 
mediately raised  and  a  new  start  made  for  our  destina- 
tion. As  we  proceeded  the  open  spaces  became  more 
abundant,  and  in  a  couple  of  hours  we  were  in  water 
free  from  packs  and  floes.  Icebergs  were  still  numerous, 
but  so  large  and  far  apart  that  we  had  no  difficulty  in 
avoiding  them.  After  getting  out  of  the  ice  the  run 
from  Saunders  Island,  where  our  release  occurred,  to  Cape 
Parrv,  which  marks  the  entrance  to  Whale  vSound,  was 
nuide  during  the  day.  Cape  Parry  was  reached  at  about 
10  o'clock  I'.  M.,  after  a  dav  of  nuxst  charming  weather 
aiul  a  stiff  breeze  which  caused  just  enough  swell  on  the 
water  to  give  the  ship  a  pleasant  motion  and  to  impart 
to  us  a  feeling  of  freedom  after  being  so  long  held  in  the 
ice-pack.  Laud  was  in  sight  all  the  wav  up;  it  was  high 
and  barren,  and  we  noticed  that  umch  less  snow  was 
present  here  than  further  south.  .Mtogether,  the  locality 
m 


///A"  \o)\u,j-:  (>/-'  ■////■:  Km:. 


115 


was  more  attractive   than   the  parts  of  (ireenland  seen 
before. 

Cape  Parry  marks  the  entrance  to  Whale  vSound, 
which  is  a  wide  channel  between  the  coast  of  Greenland 
and  Xorlhumberland  and  Herbert  Islands,  and  serxes 
as  one  of  the  entrances  into  Inglefield  Gnlf.  The  latter 
is  a  laroe  bod\-  of  water  separated  from  Uaffin  l')a>-  or 
vSmith  vSonnd  by  three  large  islands,  Xorthnmberland, 
Herbert,  and  Haklnyt.  It  was  on  the  northern  side  of 
Inglefield  Gnlf  that  Lieutenant  Peary  desired  to  land, 
but,  finding  Whale  vSound  tjjien,  we  skirted  along  the 
shores  of  Cape  Parr\-,  seeking  to  gain  an  entrance  to  the 
gnlf.  Cape  Parry  is  marked  1)\-  a  huge  and  almost  ])er- 
pendicular  cliff  of  red  sandst(jne  and  basalt,  crowned,  as 
usual  in  Greenland,  with  a  perjictual  ice  caj),  and  broken 
here  and  there  by  small  glaciers  and  deep  fiords.  As  we 
coasted  along  in  the  full  sunlight  the  cliffs  presented 
a  most  i)icturesf|ue  and  beautiful  ajjpearance.  At  times 
we  would  see  in  a  \'alley  a  torrent,  formed  from  the 
melting  snow  and  ice  al)o\'e,  come  dashing  o\er  the 
mountain,  forming  beautiful  cascades  in  its  descent. 
.After  entering  the  sound  the  diip  was  jnit  under  an  easy 
head  of  steam  and  we  slowh'  cruised  along  the  southern 
shore.  The  ])riueipal  objrcl  was  to  find  an  Ivskimo  \  il- 
lagc  which  was  known  to  be  situated  thereabouts.  We 
had  alreadx'  found  our  charts  of  these  waters  so  fauU\ 
and  incomplete  that,  outside  of  prominent  caj)es  and 
landmarks,  we  jilaced  little  reliance  on  them;  cousr- 
quentl\-  the  navigation  of  the  inland  waters  was  neces- 
sarih'  slow  and  daimerous. 


E 

ir- 

;\\ 


I  1 6 


/,V  ARCI ic  si:.\s. 


After  steaiiiiii,^   alons;  tlic  land  I'di-  soiiU'  inilcs  \vc-  dis- 
covLix-d  wlial   ai)iK'aR'(l   to   !)(.■   ilnvc-   or   lour  skin   tents. 
Tlif   marine   ^lass   sliouxd    natives  and  do^s  and  other 
si,y;ns    of   life.     \Vc  .q^proaclied  to  within   ahunt   a  mil- 
ot   the  villa.^c,  bnt  liesitated  to  no  nearer,  as  evervwhere 
were  seen   lart^e  bonlders  and   masses  of  rock   that   had 
fallen    into    the  water    from    the    ]iei<,dits    above.       The 
tents  were  seen  to  be  located  on  a  eomparati\el\-  level 
]>!atean,  near  the  entrance   to  a  fiord,  whose  sir     -s  were 
lined  with    <;laciers.      Cap     '        'ike   feared   to   enter   the 
fiord   itself,  bnl  kept   the  /.         .1.  ar  its  month  while  the 
villa.^e  was  visited  by  tlie  ])arty.      'j'he  whale-boat  bein,-,'- 
lowered,    we   soon    arrived    at      hat     .^  ^leared    to  be   tlie 
most  available  landing-place.      This  consisted  of  a  rockv 
slope  of  nearly  45°,  and,  as  we  found  later,  was  the  place 
where  the  natives  hauled  up  the  carcasses  of  walrus,  seal, 
and  other  animals  killed  in  the  chase.      It  was  bv  far  the 
most    desirable    landing-place    we   could   have    .selected. 
The  tents  were  situated  on  a  bluff  at  .some  distance  from 
the  water,  and  were  almost   impo.ssible  to  approach  ex- 
cept from  the  s])ot  at  which  we  had  landed.     The  natives 
were  there  ready  to  meet  ns,  and  seemed  delii^lited  at  (jur 
arrival. 

The  villa.^^e,  if  sncli  it  could  be  called,  was  compo.sed 
of  only  three  rude  skin  tents  supported  on  narwhal-horns, 
and  evidently  was  onl\-  the  summer  home  of  the  little 
tribe,  as  a  number  of  more  permanent  structures,  coin- 
ix)sed  of  eartli  and  stones,  were  seen  near  bv.  While  we 
found  only  three  tents,  these  stone  huts  numbered  above 
a  dozen,  indicating-  that  the  settlement  was  much  larger 


////•;  I '()). !(,/■:  (>/■■  ■////■:  ay/a- 


(luriiii^  [hv  wintiT  months.  The  small  mimher  o!"  the 
n;iti\c'S  was  jiiohabh'  dtie  to  the  absence  of  main-  on  their 
summer  huntinj^    trips.      The   entire   population,  at  the 


r 


Till,    N.\i:\i:   (AMI'    Al     WHAI  I     xilM). 


time  of  our   \isit,    nunihered    tweKe — tour   men,    three 


women,  and   fi\'e  c 


.•hildr 


en. 


Th 


ese  were   the   first  ol 


\\t- 


so-called  ".\rctic  hisj^hlanders  "  ofCa])tain  Ross  that 
had  seen,  and  interested  us  greatly.  The  ehildnn,  as 
was  the  ease  elsewhere  in  (ireenland,  were  prelt\  and 
iiealth\-  l()okin>4-,  hut  the  adults  were  flltln  and  an\  tiling 
hut  attraeti\e.  I  was  anunij;  the  hrst  a>hore,  and,  extend- 
ins;-  m\-  hand  to  the  h'.skimo  who  appeared  to  ])e  the-  (.liirf, 
and  olTerin;,:;  him  a  i)ieee  of  tobacco,  was  soniiwhal  su.r- 
prised  to  see  that  m\'  courtes\-  was  not  understood.  lie 
med  delisjlited  to  see  us,  but  had  no  knowled<'t-  of  our 


set 


custom  of  shakint;  hands  as  a  mode  of  salutation.      'I'he 
lohacco  which   I   <'a\e  him   he  handled    in  a  wa\  which 


ikiii 


mgpi 


I  \ 


\\ 


iMi 


ii8 


AV  .lA'C'/VC  .v/T./.s: 


showed  to  ine  al  once  tliat  lie  was  unfamiliar  with  the 
article.  One  of  the  sailors,  who,  at  the  trnic,  happened 
to  be  sniokinj^r  a  J'ipe,  was  re^i^arded  1)\'  them  with  the 
g^rcalest  wonder,  and  they  were  evidently  puz/.led  to  ac- 
count for  the  smoke  wliich  came  i'rom  the  man's  mouth. 
We  had  found  K.skimos  who  rarely,  if  ever,  saw  white 
men.  Their  location,  of  course,  would  ha\e  rendered 
impo.ssible  any  visitation  of  whale-ships,  which  .seldom 
<ret  so  far  north  as  this  latitude.  I^\'en  if  they  did,  they 
would  not  be  likeh'  to  venture  into  such  unknown  waters 
unless  (ju  a  mission  similar  to  ours.  This  first  impres- 
sion was  confirmed  by  a  \-isit  to  their  tents  and  houses. 
With  the  exception  of  a  few  iron  tips  to  their  harpoons, 
a  small  piece  of  .sheet  lead,  the  iron  end  of  a  boat- 
hook,  and  a  sewing-thimble,  which  a  woman  produced 
in  (j^reat  triumph,  nothinji^  was  seen  wdiich  sUowed  con- 


KMll.    Willi     U.'ia     111.. Mil.   AM)    \\(i  MH.N    HANI  H-L. 


■!HI  >,i  .»„      '   .^. 


l\'iK\-     I'lN,     l\\<i    I  lllkli^    Al    IIAI.    SIZK. 

tact  with  their  civili/.ed  brethren.  It  is  jiossible  that  the 
few  natixes  in  this  out-of-the-wa\-  i)laee  obtained  these 
bits  of  civilization  throu.^h  some  t)f  their  more  fortunate 
kinsmen  meetin*;-  whalers  or  Polar  expeditious  during 
their  summer  hunts,  as  they  are  known  to  journey,  on 


1 1  IE  I  ■()  ):!(,/■:  ()/■■  1 1  IE  KiiE. 


119 


such  trips,  far  from  their  winter  (|uarters.  Tlicy  niaiii- 
fested  unusual  (lc'li<;lit  whcMi  shown  nccdks,  kni\es,  etc., 
and  for  a  few  of  these  articles  we  were  enabled  to  j^et  all 
the  curiosities  desired.  A  knife  bou<;ht  a  reiudeer-skiu, 
and  for  a  needle  we  received  an  ivory  walrus-tusk.  A 
curious  piece  of  steel  used  in  skinninj^  .seals,  brou,nht  from 
Godluun,  was  e\chan(;ed  for  two  large  narwhal-horns. 

Many  and  varied  were  the  curios  gotten  by  our  i)art\-, 
and  I  am  glad  to  sa\-  that,  although  the  rate  of  exchange 
was  so  much  in  our  favor,  we  left  them  with  a  su])ply  of 
material  that  was  of  far  more  .ser\ice  to  them  than  the 
things  they  jiarted  with.  A  skin  hou.se,  with  its  interior 
fittings  complete,  and  a  large  sledge  most  ingeniously 
made  of  drit"twoo(l,  bone,  and  ivory,  were  obtained  in  ex- 
change for  a  hatchet,  a  saw,  and  two  fdes.  Two  or  three 
boards  and  an  empty  flour-barrel  pleased  them  beyond 
description,  as  it  provided  them  with  enough  wood  lo 
make  their  harpoons,  paddles,  and  sledges  without  the 
months  of  labor  which  had  evidenth'  been  expended  in 
l)inding  together  the  numerous  fragments  of  wood  and 
bone  of  which  their  sledges  and  other  imi)lemeuts  were 
constructed. 

During  our  stay  we  had  an  excellent  opporlunitN' of 
obserxing  their  mode  of  life.  Their  food  consisted  of  the 
flesh  and  blul)ber  of  the  walrus,  narwhal,  and  seal,  and 
we  saw  1>  iug  in  the  neighborhood  of  their  tents,  on  the 
bare  ground,  the  partially-consumed  carcasses  of  several 
of  these  animals,  the  walrus  ])redoniinating.  The  flesh 
was  neither  frozen  nor  decomposed,  and  ai)peared  to  have 
been  recently  obtained.     At  irregidar  intervals,  according 


hi! 


T2() 


/.\'  AKCI IC  Shl.lS. 


as  llicir  liun^ir  iiiowd  iIriii,  \\\c\  would  ciU  lioiii  a  car- 
cass,  witli  an  old  knik',  a  I01114  slrip  ot  llusli  or  hliibbL-r 
so  lar^c-  that  it  would  baix-K  <;()  into  llicir  nioullis.  Tlii-N 
strip  was  lu-ld  iu  thf  tuctli,  while-,  with  a  sawinj;  nio\  c- 


l.-KIM'>     KMVliS. 


ment,  a  morsel  was  cut  off  so  close  to  the  mouth  that 
their  noses  appeared  to  be  in  imminent  jieril.  Thus, 
without  cookin.Li^  or  other  jireparation,  they  ate  the  dirty 
uiass  of  fat  and  flesh,  ai)parently  with  oreat  relish.  We 
saw  no  cooked  food  of  any  description,  nor  any  sii^n  of 
the  use  of  ve,netable  food.  vSo  far  as  wc  could  determine, 
they  are  entirely  carnivorous,  the  fat  and  oil  of  the  blub- 
ber takint>;  the  place  of  the  ve<j;^etable  food  demanded  by 
our  systems.  The  teeth  of  the  Eskimos,  as  far  as  we  ob- 
served, showed  no  evidence  of  decay,  and,  instead  of 
losing  them  by  disease,  they  are  generally  retained  until 


iiiii  lo).  !(,/■:  (>/■   I  III:  Kill: 


121 


(linlli,  ;is  was  shown  by  ihf  skulls  whic-li  wiir  Ijvoii.s^lit 
bark.  As  a  nilr,  i1k\  wcti'  \cr\-  hmkIi  woiii  ,i\va\.  il 
bciii<4  quiU'  coiiiuujii  U>  sir  the-  til  're  cnnvii  ol  llir  lnolli 
;^()iiL'  and  the  (kulinc  cxposfd,  sniioniukd  by  a  naruiw 
rim  ol  t-iianic'l.  This  wcarini;  away  is  probabh  ilut-  lo 
the  chc'win*;  of  the  t()ii<;h  animal  tissues  on  whii'h  llic 
nali\LS  subsist,  tlu'  ri'sichu'  of  which,  after  ha\iu^  bun 
(U-prix-fd  of  all  nulriuK'nt,  is  spit  out.  TIk-  custom  llu\- 
haw  of  clKwir.L;  the  <;armcnts  in  order  to  make  ihem 
more  ]>liable  also  aids  in  acconnlin;^  Ibr  this  condition. 

The  interior  of  the  tenls  was  furnished  only  with  a 
heaji  of  skins  and  rubbish  on  wdiich  the  occu])ants  sle]>t. 
In  one  (jf  them  a  lamp  was 
found  burning-.  Il  was 
made  of  a  sli;^htly  hollowed 
slab  of  soapstone  or  sonie- 
thin<4  similar,  and  was  filled 
with  fat  squeezed  from  bhd)- 

bcr.  In  it  was  a  wick  made  of  twisted  moss;  this,  though 
burnin.^  with  a  rather  dull  an<l  sickly  llame,  seeme<l  lo 
be  the  onl\-  means  they  had  of  t;i'ttin,^  heat  and  li.^lit. 
The\-  obtained  their  fire,  apparently,  by  the  use  of  Hint, 
and  tinder  made  from  dried  moss.  The  surronndin.Ljs  u\ 
the  \illa,!^e  were  filthy  in  the  extreme.  Hones  of  animals 
and  birds  and  lialf-dccomposed  fra,u^mcnts  of  rminial  rei- 
nse  ku'  around  in  every  direction.  Two  leashes  of  Ivs- 
kinio  doi,^s,  securely  tied  near  the  tents,  re<;arded  the 
stran^Ljers   with   distrust. 

'iMie  natives  themsehes  were  as  friendl\-  as  possible, 
exincinjj;-  their  pleasure  at  seein_i;-  ns  in  {gestures  and  cries 


1  A.NU'  MAUI.  Ul    .-M'AI'-lnM 


'I   i 


1 22 


/.\'    iKiTic  si:,  is 


aiiil  fi)ll()\vinj4  us  c'\c'r\  wlinv.  'Vhr  cliildrcii,  liowever 
appiMU'd  iVij^liti'iud,  ami  i>iu-  or  two  criid  pilcoitsly  if  wc 
ap])r();u'lu(l  tluMii.  One  of  llir  nun  sieiiud  to  ho 
(U'liuiikd  or  idiotic.  lie  tittcnd  lioarsi-  triittural  cries, 
and  would  walk  around  nK'nd)(.'rs  of  thi.'  part\  witli  a 
curious  step,  occasionally  shouting  with  sceniiuj^  <j[ratifica- 
tiou.  Wc  noticed  that  he  did  not  acc()tu[)any  the  other 
men,  hut  was  left  with  tlie  woiueu  and  children.  It  was 
of  course  inipossihle  to  understand  thi'Ui  except  hy  mo- 
tions, hut  these  were  readil\-  interpreted.  The  men  were 
well    formed    and    sli'>htl\-    below    the    medium    heisjht. 


AN   AKil  u;    r.KIl.K. 


I! 

I 


Their  coniple.xions  were  swarthy,  and  one  or  two  had 
small  beards  or  mous*  \ches.  The  women  were  short  and 
squatt\',  with    laces  broad  and   i^ood-natured   looking  in 


Il' 


////■:  i('). !(,/■:  ('/■   Tin:  kiii:. 


123 


spitr  of  the  small  and  slatitiiii^-  c\fs  and  widt-  nioiitlis. 
'riic  coslunu-  worn  was  tlu-  same  in  both  stwcs,  and  coii- 
'I'd  of  a  skill  jarkc'l  and  hmc-lKs.  SniiK'  of  llic 
..oiiKMi  had  (lonbK'  jacki'ls,  iIk-  iiiiur  l)(.'inj^f  niadt'  of  hird- 
•skitis  and  tlu-  otitiT  of  seal.  In  this  case  \\\v  fralluT 
si(U'  was  worn  lu-xt  thf^kin,  tht- fur  hfin^on  tlu' oiilsidc. 
All  of  thr  [R-oplr  were  in(kscril)al)l\  liltli\-,  and  had 
c\id(.'ntl\'  lU'wr  had  a  hath  in  their  lives.  Tlu'  odors 
ahoiil  their  teiil^  were  nanseatiiit;,  and  their  bodies 
seemed   to  !j^i\'e  off  the  rank   snudl  of   seal  oil. 

'iMie  plateau  on  which   tlie\-  li\-ed  was  about  a  (juarler 

of  a  mile  broad  and  stretched  back  to  the  hij^li  elills  of 

the  mainland.      It  was  covered  with  llowers  and  i^ras.ses, 

m1    moss  j;rew    in   abundance.       .Mto^ether,    they    had 

■cted  a  choice  spot  for  their  cam]),  which  o\erlook'.(l 
|j<jth  the  fiord  and  the  waters  (jf  Whale  Sound,  and  >eemed 
to  be  perfectly  contented  with  their  lot. 

I  was  greatly  interested  in  obser\inL;  the  peculiar 
habits  and  mode  of  life  of  these  most  iiorlhe;  n  I"",>kiinos, 
and  in  contrastiiiii^  them  with  those  (jf  the  nati\es  ot' 
Terra  del  Fue<4().  The  iMicL^iaiis  are  the  saxa^e  inhabit- 
ants of  the  island  which  is  situated  at  the  extreme  end 
of  vSonth  .\nierica,  bein^'  se])arated  from  it  by  the  Strait 
of  Ma<iellan.  The  interior  of  the  countr\  has  iie\er  been 
e.xplored,  and  t]ie<jnly  knowledge  we  liaxiof  an\  inhabit- 
ants is  of  those  li\iu;^  on  the  shores  borderiuL;  the  strait. 
From  this  circumstance  they  are  sometimes  spoken  of 
a.s   "the  dwellers  of  the  straits." 

Three  year>  a_i;o,  wdiile  x'oyaiL^in;.^-  from  Philadelphia 
to  San   Francisco,  I  passed  ihrou.nh  the  .Strait  of  Ma<;el- 


124 


/\'  .lh'(77C  s/:.is. 


laii,  and  IkuI  an  excclk'iil  opporltuiity  of  obscrviii;^  tlie 
iialiws.  Ti;c  ])as'-a<,a'  llironi^li  llic  stniils  was  a  tc-dious 
and  (lifricull  one,  consnniinj;  nearly  a  week's  lime.  This 
was  oecasioned  by  the  peenliar  character  of  the  cnrrenls 
and  tide,  wiiieli  often  necessitated  (Mir  K'in^  at  anchor  for 
nian\'  honrs  at  a  time.  It  was  during-  tliese  periods  that 
tile  natives  came  to  llie  ship  and  we  were  enabled  to 
visit  the  shore.  The  b'skimos,  altlioni^h  li\inj;  in  a  far 
more  desolate  and  ri'^^orons  rej4;ion  than  the  dwellers  of 
the  straits,  and  haNini;  less  opportiinitx'  for  contact  with 
ci\ili/.ed  man,  \et  exhibit  j^reater  i'ltellij^ence  and  abil- 
it\-  in  ])ro\idin<;  for  their  wants  than  do  the  I'iie<>;ians. 
\Vh\-  this  should  be  it  is  impossible  even  to  conjecture. 
.\11  tra\ellers  a^ree  in  placin.L;  the  Fne<^ians  the  lowest 
in  the  scale  of  humanity.  Inhabitin.^-,  as  they  do,  a  land 
in  which  rain,  sleet,  and  snow  are  of  ccmstant  occurrence, 
and  a  da\-  of  continuous  sunshine  almost  unknown,  they 
are  \et  too  i.^norant  to  clothe  tliemselves,  notwithstand- 
ing; an  a.bundauce  of  fur-bearinjj^  animals.  The\-  scarcely 
make  an\-  attvmpt  at  protectin.u^  themselves  from  a  cli- 
mate that  is  more  tr\in,i^  to  the  health  of  hunuuiitv  than 
an\-  encountered  beyond  the  .\rctic  Circle. 

The  lMie<>ians  that  I  have  seen  were  absolutely  with- 
out astonishment  at  an\tliin,n-  that  was  shown  them,  and 
had  not  the  slightest  conception  of  the  use,  eilec.,  or 
advantage  of  fire-arms. 

The  Ivskimos,  on  the  contrar\',  show  considerable 
skill  and  intellineiice  in  the  construction  of  their  stone 
huts,  weapons,  kajaks,  skdi^es,  etc.,  and  the  tamini^'  and 
control    of  their  do,L;s   are   reinarkabU'.       Thev  also   ap- 


y///-;  /■<))'. /r;/;  oi-   iiii:  kiii:. 


125 


]iear(.(l  to  express  ur.icli  ^loiiisliiiK'nt  and  woiuUr  at  tlic 
sij^lit  of  Caucasians,  and  were  exidciUK'  awaie  df  llic 
su|)cri<)rity  of  tlie  white  man.  They  exhibited  es]ieci;;l 
deli.^ht  when  slujwn  our  lire-arms,  man\'  of  w  liieh  wrre 
ol  such  a  recent  and  improxed  mechanism  as  to  lia\c 
rendered  it  impossil>le  for  them  to  haw  e\er  seen  the 
like  l)ef()re,  yet  tlie  uses  and  ad\anta^es  of  which  they 
readily  understood  and  appreciated. 

The  Ivskimos  were  also  excellent  mimics  both  of 
sound  and  <:;esture,  and  would  repeat  with  accurac\-  the 
words  and  actions  of  the  nieml)ers  of  our  part\ .  (  )u  one 
occasion  Dr.  Huj^hes  was  wanted,  and  the  nati\es,  about 
a  do/.en  in  number,  hearini^  his  name,  be^au  mimieino 
and  callin,i;,  "  Hn«,dies!  Hughes!  Hui;he.s!"  This  j.ro- 
voked  a  lan^^h,  in  which  they  likewise  joined,  as  if  also 
enjoyin,i;  the  joke.  Other  points  of  contrast  l)etween  the 
Eskimos  and  I'ucj^ians  suj^i^ested  themselves,  but  these 
were  the  most  strikin,!;;-. 

A  lar<;e  number  of  stone-piles  in  the  \icinity  of  the 
settlement  havin<;-  attracted  our  attention,  we  were  in- 
formed, by  si<4us,  of  course,  tliat  lliey  contained  stores  of 
meat  and  blubl)er  intended  for  winter  use  ;  (>thers  which 
we  saw  contained  the  bodi'-s  of  dei)arted  b'skinios  buritd 
as  the\-  had  died,  in  full  costume. 

The  i^round  is  continnalh'  fro/en  from  a  few  inches 
below  the  surface  to  the  depth  of  man\-  feit ;  lur.ec  the 
necessity  for  this  mode  of  burial.  The  number  of  l; raws 
ol)ser\-ed  was  mucli  larj^er  than  that  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the   ]>lace. 

Pieing  desirous  of  procuring;  some  skulls  and  bones  to 


ffl  1 

n  ^ 

ffif 

'wi 

■fRiS 

11 

I  '   ii 


i->6 


/.\'  .lA'C/VC  S/-:.!S. 


take  lioiiR'  for  scienlific  ])urposes,  we  wandered  leisurely 
about  these  stone-piles,  liavinj^  first  niana.i^ed  to  lia\e  the 
attention  of  ihe  natives  diverted  to  another  direetion  by 
some  of  our  Uieii.  Many  of  the  ])0(lies  were  searcely 
hidden,  owinij;'  to  the  stones  havinj:^'-  rolled  away,  and  it 
looked  as  thon.i,di  little  attention  had  been  paid  to  these 
<;raves  since  first  the\   were  made. 

Our  search  was  finallv  rewarded  1)\-  the  discovery  of  a 
bo(l\-  in  a  partially  mummified  condition,  which  had  e\i- 
dently  been  buried  a  lon<4-  time.  It  was  enveloped  in  a 
bear-skin  ,ifarment,  jiarts  of  which  still  adhered  to  the 
bones.  Hastil\'  remo\in,i;-  the  l)od\-  from  its  tomb,  we 
left  it  \ynvj;  on  the  j^n'ound  beside  the  i)ile  of  stones,  for 
we  feared  to  excite  the  animosity  of  the  Eskimos  b\-  thus 
despoilint,^  the  .graves  of  their  ancestors.  We  found, 
afterward,  that  there  was  not  tlie  slightest  necessity  for 
our  haviii!:;  had  an\-  uneasiness  on  that  score,  for  they 
themselves  cheerfull\-  helped  us  to  discover  and  carry  to 
the  sliij)  skulls  and  other  fraj^inents  of  niortalit\'.  Hav- 
iii}^  successfull\-  avoided  their  observation,  the  body  was 
(piickl)'  wrapi)ed  in  an  old  coat  and,  thus  enveloped,  cou- 
\-e\e(l  on  board  the  \'essel.  Two  small  models  of  har- 
poons and  a  little  sledge  were  fi)und  in  the  tomb,  and 
it  was  evident,  not  less  from  the  care  with  which  the 
l)od\-  had  been  buried  than  from  the  size  of  the  bones, 
thai  the  deceased  was  a  man,  and  had  been,  in  his  time, 
a  person  of  some  importance. 


CHAPTKR    IX 


IIiCRnHUT    Island.— l'"')XTKArs.    -A    (iIu;i;n   Spot   amon 


c,  Till-: 


(ir.ACII'.US.  — MCCOK.MICK       HaV.       ClKiDSINC 

I'KAUY's  Camp.    -Hni.niNc.  tiiic  Ilm  si: 


Si'OT        I'OK 
A    L'l.lMli   To   TIIK 


IcK   Cap 


o 


UR  invcstifratioiis  fini.slicil,  we  returned  to  tlie  ship, 
which  was  then  lieadcd  u])  Wliale  vSound.  Iiefore 
Herbert  Island  was  jxassed  il  was  evident  that  we  could 
not  hope  to  reach  In<,defield  Crulf  by  that  channel.  The 
ice  had  never  started  from  the  .i;ulf,  and  stretched  in  one 
vast,  unbroken  sheet  as  far  as  the  ey^  ccjuld  reach.  We 
therefore  altered  our  course  and  steered  alon.i;  the  vih^e 
of  the  ice  to  Herbert  Island,  and,  skirtinjj;^  its  shores,  en- 
tered the  channel  between  Herbert  and  Xorthnniberland 
Islands  to  reach  Murchinson  vSound,  which  also  coninin- 
nicates  with  Injj^lefield  (inlf.  Several  slo])s  were  made 
to  examine  the  shores  of  Herbert  Island,  which  seemed 
to  be  more  green  and  attracti\e  than  the  rest  of  the  land. 
Quite  a  number  of  stone  huts  and  "caches"  or  slone- 
]iiles  containing  blubber,  stored  by  the  Ivskimos,  were 
seen,  but  none  of  the  nati\-es  themseKis.  There  nnist 
be  a  number    here  during  the  winter,  as    the  (luanlity 


of  blubber,  huts,  sledues,  etc.  found   w 


IS   comi)arali\ely 


arue. 


In   exploring   the   land   in   the  \  ieinily  we  ran  across 


11 


128 


/N  .lA'Cf/C  SJC.IS. 


quite  a  nniiihcr  of  fox-traps;  lliesc  were  tlie  first  we  had 
seen,  and  interested  ns  _<rreatly.  The\'  were  small  rec- 
tan.^nlar  l)o\es  l)nilt  of  stones,  liavin,^-  only  a  single 
entranee.      Over  this  openin-,'-  is  suspended  or  balaneed 


lii 


1,*    ^ 


l-.>KlMi)    .■^lllM,    UWlJ.l.INCS. 

])\  means  of  a  leatlier  thoni;,  a  slab  of  stone;  to  the  other 
enil  of  the  thon^  the  bait  is  fastened,  and  it  is  so  arran,L;ed 
that  a  slight  ])nll  \\\>n\\  it  will  eause  the  slab  to  fall,  thus 
elTeetualK  elo^ini;  the  entranee.  The  box  or  ea\e  is  so 
narrow  that  tlit-  fox  eannot  turn  around  or  burrow  out  of 
its  stouf  prison.  'IMiey  all  showed  si^ns  of  ha\in,L;  lieen 
reeeiitK    looked   ai'ter  and   set,   wliieh    was    rci^arded  as 


'/•///•;  I  ()):!(,/■:  of  '////-:  kiie. 


129 


another   evidence  tliat    the    natives  had    departed   only 
recently. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  hnts  vci^etation  floin-ishcd. 
This  was  probably  dne  to  the  sheltered  location  and 
j^rcat  (jnantity  of  refnse  animal  matter  l>injL;  uvcrswhcrc 
aronnd.  \'ej;etation,  alt]ion.y;h  jreneralh-  sparse  in  (irecn- 
land,  occasionally  flonrishes  with  xi.i^or  in  a  few  well- 
sheltered  and  watered  spots.  Some  j^rasses  of  the 
varieties  occurring  in  temperate  climes  are  occasionally 
.seen  <j;^rowin.^^  as  lii«:;h  and  ln.\nriantl\  as  at  home,  and 
flowers  of  _^rcat  delicacy  both  of  form  and  color  are  fonnd 
in  profusion  in  some  places.  Yellow  poppies  and  dande- 
lions are  also  met  with  in  considerable  nnml)ers;  even 
the  bntterfly  was  there,  se\eral  \arieties  beino  captured. 
Flies  which  resembled  very  closely  the  connnon  house- 
fly were  also  seen,  but  were  neither  so  tormcntin<(  nor  so 
nnmerons  as  those  fonnd  in  cixilized  commnnities. 
They  have  not  the  opportunity  to  dexote  such  a  lar<;e 
amount  of  their  attention  to  hunianit\-  as  do  those  we 
have  at  home.  The  mosquitoes,  on  the  contrary-,  are 
quite  numerous  in  (ireenland,  and  were  a  constant  source 
ofanno\ance  and  discomfort.  ( )ur  heaxN  clothinsf  pro- 
tected our  bodies,  but  the  fa(X-s  of  nianx  of  us  were  con- 
siderably disfignred  and  nndered  <|uite  painful  by  their 
attacks. 

The  scenery  was  grand  and  iin]>ressi\e.  Glaciers  were 
to  be  seen  at  every  turn,  and  the  breaking  and  falling 
into  the  sea  of  huge  icebergs  was  fre(iuentl\-  witnessed. 
The  noise  and  \ibration  caused  b\-  this  breaking  ice  wire 
almost  theouK  sounds  to  be  heard  in  these  lonely  waters, 


130 


/A'  .lA'CY/C  s/:.is. 


and  llic  ccliocs  atul  ifvcibcralions  aniotij;'  tlie  solitude  of 
inountains  and  <forL;vs  were  ]irodnctive  of  a  feelin:^  of 
awe  wliicli  was  perhaps  inereased  l)y  an  a])precialion 
of  tlie  dreariness  of  t)nr  situation  and  the  knowledge  of 
our  distance  from  an\'  ei\iiix,e(l  port  or  assistance.  The 
slijj^htest  accident  nii<fht  have  delayed  our  vessel  and 
thereby  rendered  a  return  home,  for  that  season  at 
least,  impossible,  and  subjected  us  to  the  often  told  ex- 
perience of  misery  and  hardships  in  this  far-away  and 
desolate  res^ion. 

A  few  weeks  only  remained  of  the  summer  in  wh'ch 
to  navij^ate  these  uncertain  and  danjj^erons  seas,  and  then 
it  would  be  necessary  U)  turn  otu'  prow  southward. 

All  the  followin<r  day  was  sjient  by  the  party  sent  out 
from  the  ship  in  a  boat  in  scarchin.t;;  for  a  suitable  spot 
on  which  to  build  Peary's  winter  quarters.  They  found 
McCorniick  Bay  to  be  an  arm  running- off  from  Murchin- 
son  Sound  in  a  jj^eneral  north-easterly  direction.  Its 
U])]K'r  part  wassecureh  locked  in  ice,  and  a  <;reat  _i;;lacier 
was  visible  runnin<^  down  at  the  head.  The  north-west 
shore,  which  was  the  one  first  investigated,  was  reached 
only  after  considerable  difiicult)',  on  account  of  the  field 
of  ice  which  stretched  out  from  its  sides  far  into  the  bay. 
It  was  bleak  and  inhosj)itable,  and  no  suitable  landiti}^- 
])lace  could  be  found.  The  north-east  shore,  on  the 
other  hand,  aijjx'ared  in  e\'er\'  wa\-  suitable  for  a  camj). 
A  good  beach  running  up  to  a  little  bluff  about  twent\' 
feet  high  was  found,  which  was  continued  by  a  gentle 
but  steadily  increasing  incline  as  the  ground  rose  to  the 
rampart  of  cliffs  that  marked  theedgeof  the  great  inland 


i>V 


K 
K 

►B 
K 
> 
X 
i< 

'/ 

c 

X 


> 


> 

V. 


V. 

V. 


V. 

■J. 

V. 


'■t 


IB 


'////•;  J -(n: !(;/■:  (^r  ////■:  kiir. 


131 


plateau,  'riic  surlact'  from  llic-  Uracil  hack  to  the  clitTs 
was  c(i\crc(l  with  a  luxuriant  i^rowth  of  tlowi-is.  Yellow 
poppies  nodded  like  daisies  in  tlie  l)ri<;ht  sunli,nht,  pr.r- 
ple  heaths  and  other  (lowers  ahounded,  and  once  in  a 
while  a  hnttertly  would  la/.ily  lloat  alou,t;  in  the  l)ahn\' 
air.  It  was  very  diflicult  to  realize  that  we  were  less 
than  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  Pole,  and 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  spot  where  the  Kane  expe- 
dition had  spent  two  miserable  winters  frozen  in  the 
ice. 

A  ]iretty  flower-covered  knoll,  risinjj;-  about  twentv 
feet  above  high  tide  and  some  fifty  feet  back  fror.i  the 
beach,  was  the  site  chosen  for  the  camp,  and  the  selec- 
tion submitted  to  Lieutenant  Peary  for  his  decision. 
The  lieutenant  would  ha\e  preferred  a  location  on  the 
north-west  shore,  where  better  protection  would  ha\e 
been  afforded  from  severe  winds,  but  he  ac(|uiesced  in  the 
juds^nient  of  his  comrades,  and  the  site  of  his  future 
quarters  was  formally  settled.  Now  it  was  that  the  un- 
fortunate accident  which  had  befallen  him  was  UK^st 
severely  felt,  for  he  could  not  even  see,  except  by  the 
feeble  aid  of  a  mirror  held  o\-er  the  skyli<;ht,  the  shores 
on  which  he  was  to  make  his  home. 

The  next  four  da\s  were  coisnuKd  in  hard  and  diffi- 
cult labor.  We  were  unable  to  anchor  on  account  of 
the  danger  from  drifting  floes,  and  were  compelled  to 
steam  slowdy  up  and  down  the  shore  opjKJsite  the  camp 
while  the  stores  of  the  North  (ireenland  part\-  and 
the  material  for  Pear\\s  house  were  landed  by  snial! 
boats.      This   having  been   accomplished,   a  foundation 


1^2 


/.V  .  I A'(  •■/■/(•  S/C.IS. 


[•}  \ 


was  pirparid  in  [he  hard,  frozfU  soil,  the  rraiiu-  st'l  up, 
and  llic-  hiiildiuL;  (-■ivfli.'d. 

The  siluali(jn  of  tlic-  liousc  appeared  to  e\'er\'  one  to 
be  as  favorable  as  could  have  been  selected.  A  little 
stream  of  water  ran  near  at  hand,  while  numerous  rein- 
deer-tracks were  fcjund  and  se\eral  deer  observed  at  a 
distance.  Two  ])airs  oi'  lart^e  antlers  were  brought  on 
board,  haviii);'  been  found  amoniL^  the  rocks,  as  well  as 
the  skeleton  of  a  reindeer  which  was  obtained  at  the 
base  of  a  hij^h  cliiT:  as  man\'  of  the  bones  were  broken, 
it  was  thou,!:iht  (juite  probable  that  the  animal  had  met 
its  death  1)\-  fallin^i;  from  the  rocky  heijjjhts  above.  The 
abundant  sij^n.^  of  <4ame  in  the  nei<4hborhood  encour- 
aj^ed  the  hoi)e  of  it  serving  in  the  future  as  a  source  of 
supi)ly  of  fresh  meat  should  necessity  require.  No  at- 
tein])t  was  made  durin^,^  our  sta\-  to  capture  an\-  of  these 
animals,  because  it  was  the  wish  of  Lieutenant  Peary 
that  they  should  not  be  disturbed,  as  he  thought  it  best 
to  reserve  them  tor  possible  emergencies  later  on.  The 
waters  abounded  in  seal  and  walrus,  (juite  a  number  be- 
ing seen  during  our  sta\'. 

The  camp,  not  >et  named,  was  situated  on  the  north- 
east side  of  McCormick  l>ay.  This  ba\-  is  about  ten 
miles  long  and  fi\e  miles  wide,  and  forms  a  well-shel- 
tered and  desirable  harbor.  Its  latitude  is  77''"  43',  but 
the  charts  are  so  defective  that  it  is  almost  inii)ossible  to 
indicate  the  exact  position  of  the  camp  without  elaborate 
surveys.  Its  jireseut  location  is  to  be  found  by  crossing 
Whale  Sound,  ])assing  between  Herbert  and  North um- 
berland    Islands,    thvnce    across    Murchinson    Sound    to 


I\ 


nil'.   i()):i(,f:  or  nn:  kih-: 


'.>3 


McCorinick  I>ay,  on  ilu'  slioro  dl  which  aw  KiciiU'iiaut 
iVarv's  (luarltTS.  'IMu-  >liikiii<4  iiil  I'olor  of  ihc  iiioiiii- 
taiu-si(U',  a  iiiik-  to  the  (.'aslward,  is  a  ])roiiiim'iil  hmd- 
inark  should  an  allcinpl  be  made  to  Inid  this  sjjot  ai^ain. 


l,nill:N.\M     rK\KV>    l  AMI'.    M(inK\Il(K    i;\v. 

The  housf  hc'ini:;-  small,  oiir  inii^ht  easily  fail  to  nhserve 
it  while  looking  from  theba\,  but  the  red  mounlaiu->ide 
forms  a  sufficieiith-  conspicuous  object  to  attract  alien 
tion.  The  water  in  the  bay  was  (juite  deep,  ihirleen 
fathoms  bein,!;-  found  w'"hin  a  ([uarter  of  a  mile  of  the 
shore — a  circumstance  that  ^reath'  facilitated  ihe  unji lad- 
ing of  the  \essel.  We  found  considerable  ice  ])re^ent, 
but,  the  south  side  beiuiL^'  comparati\'eI\'  clear,  we  weie 
enabled  to  stay  without  dans^er  until  the  work  on   >liorc 


134 


/.\-   .  IRil/C  S/'..IS. 


was  iK-aiK  liiii^lud  and   LiiuUiiant  l'(.ai\  and   his  com- 
panions wc'if  rstahli^Iifd  in  (.'oniloi  lahk'  (|nartris. 

( )n  Snnda\-,  jnl\  jC)lli,  I  wml  a^lioiL-  laiiv  in  llK(la\' 
to  cNplori.'  llic  lii.i^h  lalik'-laml  silnalcd  hat'k  of  llu'  ucwK- 
estal)li>lu'd  canip.  'IMiis  land  losi'  akrnpllx  iVoni  llic 
Ifwl  of  ilic  water  to  a  lici.Ljlit  of  sonic  two  tlionsand  fed. 
I'loni  the  shi])  it  appcarcil  to  l)c  an  ininicnsc  phiin  anions^' 
the  ch)iids,  and  was  the  only  land  ol  snch  an  cle\-alion 
tliat  we  had  seen  free  from  snow  and  ici'.  I  endeaxoied 
to  indnci'  sonic  of  oiir  party  to  accompany  me  in  its  as- 
cent, hnt  as  none  desired  to  niidcrlake  the  clinil),  I  was 
forced  to  make  it  alone.  The  ri>e  was  <^radua]  from  the 
water's  edi^e  f(jr  the  distance  of  abont  a  mile,  when  it  he- 
<jaii  to  i^et  more  difficult  and  daiiiL^eroiis.  Loose  earth  and 
rock  coxeix'd  the  side  of  the  moniitain,  and  miicli  of  the 
wa\  was  iiecessariK'  traversed  on  my  hands  and  knees. 
The  stones  and  fraj^nients  loosened  by  climbing-  rolled 
beliind  until  they  reached  the  bottom  of  the  j^ort^es  and 
chasms  liundreds  of  feet  below.  'Die  stillness  and  quiet 
of  the  si-eiie  wire  intense,  and  the  awesome  feelin.i;  pro- 
duced as  one  neared  the  tf)p,  after  three  hours  of  hard 
and  tryiii;;'  work,  was  absolutely  indescribable.  The 
view  from  tliis  point  was  simply  ma,y;iiificent.  I  was 
standing;  on  the  edjji'e  of  what  a])peared  to  be  a  limitless 
])lain.  b'or  a  distance  of  two  or  three  miles  the  ground 
was  bare,  free  troni  snow  and  ice,  and  composed  of  small 
pebbles  and  stones  with  hardh'  an\-  earth  inters])ersed. 
]>evt)iid  this,  and  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was  a 
coveriui^  of  snow  and  ice  which  is  known  as  the  "ice 
caj),"  and   supposed   to  co\er  the  greater  part  of  Cireen- 


V 


////■;  {■(>)■.  K,/:  ()/■■  I  III:  ki  ri: 


.i."* 


l.iiid.      Xo  spurs  of  uioiinlniiis  or  i-k'valioiis  of  land  wur 
iiolic'(.-al)lf:   for  tlic  iiiaiu'  iiiik'S  I  t-ould  sec-  tlir  xii'W  pri'- 


sfiilrd  oiK'  ''rral  mihroktii  V'\v\  of  icf  and  snow, 


It  \, 


A\\\    iIk'  land   honk'rin'j;  tin.'  sea  lliat    shows  tht-  W''*.' 


lalion    and 


Ihi 


mimals  lliat    haw  ahfad\' 


laiion  and  iioin.,,  ur'  animals  inai  iiaw  airfaus'  Iictu 
(k'scrihrd  :  hiyond  ninst  hi-  one  i^rtat  solitiuk'.  I  rr- 
niaint-d  an  honr  on  this  \asl  plain,  f,ir  iVoni  ihc  ship  and 
ni\  coni]ianions,  and  liad  ntAt-r  txjR-rii  lu'cil  a  trrlin'^- 
of  niort-  utt(.'r  loneliness  and  nndcfinahlr  kar  than  diirin.ij^ 
this  solitary  wandering.  Il  was  with  considrrahk-  rtlit-f 
that  I  arrived  once  more  aboard  shi]),  thoron^liK'  tired 
and  read\'  for  bed,  hnt  not,  howexer,  without  first  iiiier- 
estin.L;-  all  the  part\'  so  mueh  with  an  acH-ount  of  ni\'  trip 
as  to  cause  man\  of  ihem  to  e.\|>ress  their  intention  of 
accompan\-in<4-  me  on  another  visit  to  '"  m\'  plateau." 

On  the  ensuing-  day  t!ie  construction  of  Lieutenant 
Peary's  house  was  .^oins;  on  rapidl\',  and  as  his  men,  with 
part  of  the  ship's  crew,  were  ample  for  the  work,  the 
services  of  the  Academy  part\-  were  not  neede(l. 

\\\  ten  o'clock  the  mountain  expedition  was  read\-  to 
start,  and  with  a  ,i;;ood  suppl\-  of  lood  and  instrnmeiils 
the  ascent  was  ])ei;iin.  The  day  was  a  most  a.^reeable 
one,  the  cloudless  sk\-  and  i^euial  sunshine  making  the 
temperature  seem  much  hii^jher  than  was  indicated  b\-  the 
'hennometer.  A  li.i^ht  bri'eze  just  ruffk-d  the  waters  of 
the  ba\-  and  caused  a  little  surf  to  beat  upon  the  beach. 
Ir.  KeiieaK-,  Dr.  llnrk,  and  nuself  kept  to^elker  dtiriu!.:; 
the  trip,  while  Drs.  .Sharp  and  Ilunhes,  Mr.  Mendel,  and 
Professor  Ileilprin  nir.de  the  ascent  fnjni  another  point. 
\Valkin*(  .-''Mno-   the  shores   of   the  bay,  we  arri\ed  at  a 


I/> 


/A'  .IA\//C  S/C.IS 


siiiall  ravine  wIktl-  a  siiow-lVd  stivaiii  came  dasiiin^  down 
the  iiioiiiilaiii.  I  ).  this  ravine  wc-  slowly  wendid  onr 
course,  avuidinsj;,  as  well  as  we  could,  the  anj^ular  boul- 
ders with  which  its  sides  were  strewn.  As  we  advanced 
a  careful  watch  was  kept  for  a  sl()pin<f  bank  by  whicli  we 
nii^dit  l)e  enabled  to  escape  from  the  little  canyon  the 
stream  had  carved  for  itself,  and  which  with  every  foot 
became  narrower  and  more  precipitous.  A  jj^rassy  slope 
at  len<^lh  was  reached,  and  with  occasional  ])auses  we 
mana}.,a-(l  to  climb  without  difficult)-  to  a  hei,y;ht  of  about 
one  thousand  feel.  The  <,fround  up  to  tliis  point  was 
covered  with  vej^etation  of  the  sparse  character  .seen  in 
(ireenland.  Above,  all  w;is  .shaly  rock  wliich  seemed  to 
rise  almost  perpendicularly.  Carefully  jiickinj.^  our  wa\-, 
now  on  a  ridi^e  of  basalt,  now  on  shaly,  slippery  rock,  we 
scrambled  often  on  all-fours.  The  final  twenty  feet  or  so 
of  the  ascent  was  most  difficult,  beinj^-  made  over  an  out- 
cro]<piu<;  of  slate  which  cracked  and  splintered  whenever 
touched.  It  was  impossible  to  .secure  a  safe  foothold, 
and  every  time  one  slipped  it  seemed  as  if  uolhiuiL;  but  a 
m.racle  would  prevent  a  fall  to  the  de])ths  below.  Above 
the  shale  was  a  'hick  la\er  of , gravel,  crossing;  whic'  our 
arms  were  oxer  the  ed<;e  of  the  table-land,  and  the  climb 
was  liuished. 

( )ui'  can  haniiy  describe  the  jieculiar  siji^hl  which  nut 
the  I've  as  oiir  heads  rose  al)ove  the  sm  laci-  <  f  the  plain. 
I'or  over  two  hours  we  had  been  scrambiim;  up  the  mcky 
clilVs  without  enccuuterint;  a  siuj^le  ledije  that  was  lew! 
or  secure,  \  et  in  an  instant  we  were  in  full  view  iA'  an 
enormous  plain,  almost  perfectly  hori/outal,  .nul  without 


i  )•» 


'////■:  ro )'.!(,/■:  or  ////■:  a///;. 


'vV 


a  siii^If  rock  or  stoiif  to  break  ils  iiionoloiiy.  Tlif  phico 
at  wliich  \vc  rfaclicd  tlic  top  was  frt-c  from  snow  or  ice, 
and,  indeed,  tliis  was  the  reason  it  had  l)een  selected. 
.\])ont  a  mile  .hack  was  the  toot  ot'  tlie  threat  ice  cap, 
wdiich  extended,  a  da/./.linjj^  expanse  of  wliite  snow,  until 
its  distant  l)order  became  merged  with  the  sk\-. 

The  soil  was  made  up  of  ,i;ravel  and  small  pebbles, 
while  here  and  tliere  our  l)t)tanist  found  little  ])lants, 
amont^  others  the  poi)p>'  and  b\UterjU]>.  Some  of  the 
tltjwers  of  the  J^oppN',  tliouj^li  e\identl\-  of  tlie  same  .s])ecies 
as  the  \ellow  ones  of  tile  lower  le\els,  were  here  pure 
white  in  color.  The  buttercup  appeared  to  be  of  the 
same  species  as  our  own,  hut  was  onl\  an  inch  or  two  in 
hei.v;ht.  Its  lea\es  and  flowers,  and  e\en  the  bulb,  were 
the  same  as  our  common  crow's-foo',  only  re])roduce(l  in 
miniature.  The  pe])bles  were  of  man\  kinds,  and  had 
exideutly  l)een  swept  \)y  glacier  action  from  rocks  mau\- 
miles  awa\-.  Amon^them  were  (puutz.  jasper,  and  ;!.L;ate, 
two  ver\'  prett\'  moss-ayates  also  beinj^  fouml. 

'I'he  view  from  the  ed^i-  of  the  clilT,  lookini^  out  to  tl.i.- 
sea,  was  simiily  ma,nnificent.  DirectK  beneath  l.iy  the 
blue  waters  of  the  bay,  with  our  ship,  lookin,t;  like  a  to\ , 
near  the  shore;  l'ear\"s  camp  wa'^  onl\  a  little  >])eck  on 
the  landsca])e,  and  while  we  could  haidh  see  the  small 
boats  as  the\'  passed  from  the  Mssel  to  tin-  --bore,  \et 
when  ei'^ht  bells  struck  on  the  ship  we  heard  the  xMind 
with  flint  distinctness.  Iniuiediairh  opposite'  the  ba\- 
la\-  Herbert  Island  with  its  countless  j^laciirs;  just  be- 
\ond  was  Xortlnunberland  I>lan<l,  ami  still  furtlu-i  mit 
to  sea  was  the  ru-'i-ed  outline  of  Ilakluxt  Island,  tlu-  far- 


i;v^ 


/A'   .lA'l/VC  S/:.  IS. 


f 


tliL'Sl  point  iKiilli  rcMcluil  hy  liarUn  in  liis  tanious  vDva^t.' 
of  161'').  The  npix-r  n.  aclKs  of  McConuick  iSav  wrif  lilkd 
with  ice,  as  was  also  luj;'   field  (Inlf.      .\\va\-  lo  llie  soiilh 


slretclied  the  hold  front  of  Cape  rair\-,  and  hexduil  it  the 
open  water  of  r.ailin  I'.av .  I'roin  Cape  Aeland  to  Cap.e 
I'arr\-  the  view  wa^  >nperi),  the  hhie  water  heinj^'  dotted 
with   ieeherijs  of  e\er\  si/e,  whieii  sjjeanied   in   the  snn- 


'////■;  li) ).!(,/■:  <)/■   ////■:  a///;. 


139 


]\'^h{  iikf  iIk-  sails  of  >!iii)s.  'riic  sikiicc  which  piLX  aikd 
impressed  the  olliers  as  il  had  uw  on  ihi-  piXAious  ascent, 
for  no  bird  or  animal  appeared  lohreak  tlie  niter  stillness 
of  the  scene. 

We  seated  ourselves  on  the  flat  ^ronnd  and  ri'mained 
some  time  admirinj^f  the  \  iew.  al'ter  which  we  tnrned  in- 
land toward  the  ice  cap.  iSefore  reaehini^  it  the  i^ronnd 
l)ecame  moist  and  sprini^A  from  the  nnnierons  streams 
fed  by  nieltin,!,'^  ice,  bnt  once  npon  the  snow,  all  difficnltx' 
in  walkinj;  ceased.  We  found  it  hard  and  compact,  and 
the  ])rospects  of  easy  travelling;  in  the  s])rin<.;  for  I.ienten- 
anl  Pear\'  seemed  j^ood  should  he  succeed  in  reaching  the 
ice  cap  with  his  stores  of  prox  isions.  'i'he  difiicult\'  we 
had  found  in  clind)in_n  the  mountain  was  probably  much 
.greater  than  what  he  will  be  likeh'  to  encounter  in  the 
earh  sprinjj^,  wdien  the  >.,dacier   I'mnts,  in  all   ])rol)al)ilit\-. 


w 


ill    extend    far  out   to   se 


m 


I,  and    ]iro\i(le   a    more    easy 
cans  (jf  ascent    than  can  be  obtained    b\-  scalinj;    the 
clilTs. 

The  ice  caj)  appeared  to  continue  down  to  two  larL,^' 
glaciers  which  reaihed  to  the  beach.  l-'roni  the  heail  of 
these  jjjlaciers  it  was  uid)rokcn,  ai  1  extended  inland  with 
a  .yradlial  and  uniform  slope  Tioiissor  lleil])rin,  who 
advanced    on    its   surface    farther    than    did    tin-   otlK'rs, 


reached   an    altitude  of  22011    feet.      At  the   cd.ijc 


ol    the 


.diir  tl 


le  liei,i,dit   was    nj^o  fret. 


.\  short  sojourn  on  thi'  ice  satisfud  our  i-uriosily.  and 
we  returned  by  the  same  route  lakiu  in  ,u<>iiii;    up.      '1  he 


to  such  \  ioleut  ex- 


descent,  for  mn^clis  unused  lor  wn' 

ertions.  was  e\en  more  painful  than  had  bicu  the  asc(.  nt. 


140 


AV  .lA'cy/f  s/:.is. 


I  t  ■  I 


The  only  si.yns  of  animal  life  which  any  ol'  our  party 
found  on  llu'sc  desolale  hcij^dits  were  a  reindeer-track  and 
a  lew  tufts  of  fox-hair.  The  sparse  Nej^etation  can  be 
hut  little  attractive  to  either  bird  or  beast,  and  durin^i^  the 
f^reater  part  of  the  year  the  entire  plateau  must  be  cov- 
ered with  snow  and  ice. 

A  few  hours'  rest  on  board  the  ship  ]ireparcd  us  for 
further  aihentnre.  (Vreat  flock.s  of  o;nilli_'mots  and  little 
auks  were  fl\in!,f  constantly  overhead,  and  the  tempta- 
tion to  shoot  at  them  was  almost  irresistible.  Lieutenant 
l'ear\-,  however,  did  not  wish  us  t(}  fire  in  the  \icinity 
of  the  camj),  lest  the  f^anie  shonld  be  frij^htened  off;  but 
in  one  of  the  ship's  boats  we  easily  reached  a  spot,  some 
distance  awa\-,  where  there  was  no  danger  of  the  shoot- 
ing doiii!:;-  any  mischief,  and  where  jj;reat  flocks  of  birds 
were  constantly  passin<;-.  ( )ur  luck  was  only  fairly  j^'ood, 
thou.ii;h  occasionally  three  or  four  birds  would  fall  at  a 
single  shot.  Their  number  was  almost  incalculable, 
passing-  all  da\'  lonj;  in  flocks  or  in  continuous  streams 
o\er  the  ship.  They  flew  with  a  steady,  rapid  (h.^ht, 
and  furnished  excellent  sport,  but  their  j^luma.i^e  was  so 
dense  that  nian\'  which  were  struck  b\-  the  shot  esca])ed 
uninjured. 

Later  in  the  cvenin.i(  another  party  went  to  the  en- 
trance of  .McCormick  Hay,  and  here  had  excellent  sport, 
returnin_^;  with  lari;e  numbers  of  the  birds.  The  majorit\' 
of  these  were  little  aiiks,  bu'  there  were  also  man\-  black 
^niillemots. 


CHAP  TICK    X 


A    SCIIOOI,     OI-    WlIITH    WllAI.l.S.    -lilhDINC.     (lOODUN       lO     Till'. 

l'i;\i<N-  I'AKTN.  Ax  AiuTic  Stokm. — ( iU()\vi,i:i<s.  Sain- 
DKus  Island.  SoiTiiwAKii  i'.orNM.  Ckimson  Cmi'is. — 
Ki;i>    vSxdw,  ^  Tin:    Capi:     NOkk     .\ativi;s.— An     IIskimo 

'l'.\\\M\i. 

^T'^IIIC  (lays  jxisscd  rapidh'  in  tlu-se  pleasant  snrnmnd- 

-*-     iii.^s.      The   naturalists    inw-stij^attd    tin.-    adjacent 

shores,  and  hrouij^ht  back   to  the  ship  many  interesting; 

specimens   of   birds'    e,L;,i;s,    insects,    and    plants.       I'rot". 

Sharp  dra!L^<.;ed  the  bay,  and  obtained  some  rather  cnrions 

forms  of  marine  life,  amoniL;  others  a  small  fish  pro\ided 

with  a  snckini;  arrangement,  e\idently  for  the  ])nrpose 

of  attachiiijj;  itself  to  other  objects.      The  water  teemed 

with  small  red  shrimjis,  which  constitnted  the  prineijial 

food  for  the  mnltitude  of  birds. 

The  work  of  nnloadini;  the  shi])  still  went  on,  and  as 

e\er\lhin!:;   had  to  be  takin  ashore  in  small  boats,  it  was 

both  tedions  and  tronblesonie.      Wednesday  daw  ned  cold 

and   nnpleasant,    and   the   snow,    which    fell    the  j^reater 

jiart  of  the  day,  rendereil  the  decks  wet  and  disa<;;reeable. 

In  the  exenin.^-  we  were  treated  to  the  nnusnal  sii^lu  of  a 

school   of  white   whales.       '['he\'    were    the   first    we   had 

seen,    and    as   the\  came   (piite   ni-ar   the    shi]\    we    had 

ample   opportnnit\'    to   observe    them    carefulh'.     They 

III 


142 


/X  .IRC77C  SF..  IS. 


II     I 


rt'inaiiifd  near  us  lor  al)()Ul  half  an  lioiir,  and  their  play- 
ful and  sportive  actions  alTorded  considerable  amusement. 

The  sixth  (la\  of  our  stay  in  .McCormick  I>a\-  was  so 
fo^<4y  that  only  at  occasional  inter\als  were  we  able  to 
see  the  shore,  a  ([uarter  of  a  mile  distant.  The  house 
havin>4  been  so  far  completed  as  to  render  a  lousier  sta\- 
unnecessary,  it  was  proposed  t(j  start  on  the  homeward 
trip  that  nij^ht,  provided  the  weather  cleared  sufTicieiitly 
to  enable  us  to  .see  our  way.  The  fo.l,^  however,  con- 
tinticd  throuirh  the  ni.i^ht,  but  lifted  at  5.30  the  following; 
mornin<j.  We  were  all  called  at  this  hour  to  bid  ^a)od- 
by  to  Peary's  jxirty.  <  )f  the  Peary  e.xpedition  all  except 
the  lieutenant  and  his  wife  had  stayed  aboard,  so  as  to 
write  letters  for  us  U)  take  home  for  them.  We  had 
become  <;reatly  attached  to  one  another,  havinjj;  lived  so 
intimately  tojjether  for  two  months  as  one  expedition, 
and  the  partin<i^,  possibly  for  ever,  althouinh  not  demonstra- 
tive, was  painful  to  all.  While  some  were  to  remain  in 
a  desolate  and  unknown  rej^ion  that  is  only  within  reach 
of  civilization  for  a  few  short  weeks  during  the  \ear,  the 
others,  after  their  severe  experience  in  forcing  a  passage 
northward,  were  to  undergo  a  perhaps  still  more  danger- 
ous voyage  to  their  native  land. 

It  made  us  all  sad  and  thoughtful,  and  after  exchang- 
ing a  few  souvenirs  and  well-wishes  we  bade  each  other 
good-by.  Three  shrill  blasts  of  the  whistle  and  a  \()lle\- 
from  our  guns  signalized  our  departun-.  Ne\er  had  I 
listened  to  a  farewell  salute  that  atfected  me  so  .sadly, 
showing  the  dilTerent  elTect  produced  b\-  the  strangeness 
of  our  surroundings  and  the  peculiarity  of  the  circnm- 


T     ■     I 


> 


nil-:  i()).i(./'  OF  HIE  Km:. 


143 


staiuxs.      As  tlKir  Ixml  lowrd  olT  llu'\-  <^a\c'  lluvc  clurrs, 

1)111  iiol  willi   iIk-   Iirarly  riii^;  thai  I  had  hi-ard  iVoni   llic 

saiiu  ihioals  hitorc'.      'IMic  signal  hell  in  llic  (.•ii^iiK-idiiin 

rauL;  full  >j)iL-d  alaad,  ami  in  a  ll-w  ininulLS  \vc-  (k-parli-d 

tVoiii    iIk-   iiKol  norllKTU   whik-  srUk'nu'iU  on  llii'  hIoIji-, 

k-a\ini4  our  CDinpanioiis  lo  face  lliuir  chosfii  diiU'  in  that 

aliiiosl  nurc'ik'ss  Arctic  climate. 

(  )nr  course  south  was  a^aiu  hv  Murchiusou  .Sound  and 

hetween  I  lei  hcrL  and  Xorthnnihtrland  Islands.    'IMuwind, 

which  had  been  increasing;,  soon  turned  into  a  jL^ale,  ami  1)\' 

noon  a  slorui  was  fairly  u]ion  us.     It  ke])l  ^eltinn'  worse, 

and,  anticipatim;  trouble,  e\erylhim;  about  the  \essel  was 

made  suu^;  as  the  barometer  continued  to  fall,  we  ran  the 

shij)  under  the  lee  of  the  mainland,  ho])inL;  to  iscape  xiuie 

of  the  fur\()f  the  storm.     In  one  hour  the  wind  ha<l  ri^eu 

to  almost  hurricane  force,  and  the  water  was  lashed   into 

such    foam   and   s]ira\   thai  it  was  ini])os>ible  to  see  more 

than    a    couple    of    ship-k-n^ths    ahead.       ( )ccasionall\'. 

through   a   break    in    the  mi-^l,  the  ice-co\-ered   dills   of 

Ca])e    I'owlel  could    be  seen,  when  was  lo  be  had  a  \iew 

of  ihe    wildest    ami    most    ma^iiificeul    .grandeur.      'I'lie 

fearlul    ^riudini;    and    clashing;    *if   collidim;-   ber^^,    ihe 

lumulluous     sea,     la>hed     to    il>    ulnio>t     fur\-,    and    the 

screeching   and   roaring;  of   the  mighty   wind    cond)ined 

lo   produce  an    impre>-~ion    newr  lo  be   forgotten. 

Such   experience^,   with    the  siram^euess   of   our  •^ur- 

roundiii'^s,  so  differtiit  iVoni  tho>e  lo  wliiih  wc'  had   bei  n 

accuslome(l,  mt-ded  but    lillle  more   lo  eon\ince   us  that 

we  weri'  on  another  planet.      .So  lenific  was  ihe  force  of 

the  j^ale  thai  ihe  sla\-sail  was  blown  from  ils  _t;askels,  ;;nd 
lu 


144 


AV  .lA'C/Vc    s/-:.is. 


\  t 


the  (.■iii^iiics,  allli()ii<;li  .s^oiiiL;  at  lull  spct-d,  were  not 
always  able  to  kvv\)  the  ship's  head  to  the  wind,  e\en 
with  the  aid  of  tlu'  most  careful  luaiKeuvriut;'.  Sexeral 
times  we  were  driven  toward  the  lee  shore,  whieh  was 
known  to  he  less  than  a  mile  awa\.  The  thickness  of 
the  weather  added  much  to  our  anxietx-.  Ivverx'  few 
minutes  a  j^ij^antic  iceheri^  would  loom  like  a  spectre 
thron.iih  the  mist,  sometimes  ct)min,!^r  within  a  few  \ards 
of  us,  and  makin.i:^  as  serious  and  horrible  a  situation  as 
can  well  be  imagined.  The  frijL'htfnl  howlini,^  and 
screamin.y;  of  the  winds  thr()U<;h  these  lonel\-  fiords 
could  not  be  conceixed  b\-  the  most  vi\id  imaj^ination. 
The  deafeniui,^  roar  of  crashini^-  ice  and  coUidinjj^  berets 
added  to  the  experiences  of  this  frightful  dav.  and  the 
fras^Muenls  and  debris  increased  our  consternation  by 
ponndinjj;  aj^ainst  the  shii)'s  sides.  The  hu.i^e  fraii^ments 
of  ice  became  so  abundant  later  as  to  have  a  \ery  per- 
ceptible effect  in  snbduiniLi;-  the  force  of  the  waves,  and 
thus  allowed  the  ship  to  ride  more  easily;  but  the  storm 
•continued  with  unabated  fury,  the  wind  still  came  with 
hurricane  force,  and  it  was  not  until  eveninn-  that  the 
weather  cleared  snlTicientK-  for  us  to  see  our  dangerous 
proximilx'  to  the  rock\'  coast  of  Xorthumberland  Island. 
An  efTort  was  now  made  to  t^a't  inider  the  lee  of  Cai)e 
Powlet,  but  although  we  were  able  to  j^et  cpiite  near,  the 
force  of  the  wind  would  not  allow  us  to  hold  our  ])osi- 
tion,  and  after  three  liours  of  hard  work  we  were  drixen 
out  to  sea. 

The  dan<;er  from  the  ice  was  now  <;reatly  increa.scd, 
as  the  .sea  wa>  fiUeil  witli   the  broken   fra^nients  of  ice- 


////;  ro )■.!(;/■:  o/-  iiii:  Kin:. 


145 


bt-r^fs,  foniiiii;^'  what  tlif  sailors  know  as  "  <4ro\vkrs." 
ThcsL-  art'  lai^v,  waU-i-Io^m-d  inassi-s  of  ice,  ground  by 
attrition  with  otlur  ice  and  hir^s  into  a  roni^lily  s])lR-ri- 
cal  form.  They  rise  and  fall  with  the  waxes,  often  dis- 
ajipeariiii^  heneatli  the  snrfaci-,  and  constitute  one  of  the 
most  dangerous  forms  of  ice  found  in  Northern  seas.  .\.s 
they  rise  the  water  rushes  from  their  sides  hack  into  the 
sea,  ])ro(lucin<;  a  roaring  or  }.;rowlini:;  sound  which  can 
be  heard  (|nite  a  distance  off;  hence  the  name  ".growler." 
(  )ne  rose  directly  in  front  of  the  vessel,  but  fortunately 
struck  the  shi])  slantingly  on  her  bows.  Had  it  risen 
beneath  the  hull,  she  would  almost  inevitabh'  ha\e 
foundered.  At  last,  howe\er,  the  wind  secMued  to  mod- 
erate, and.  the  barometer  be^innini^  to  indicate  better 
weather,  we  were  able  to  keep  on  our  course  to  vSannders 
Island,  which  now  became  \isible.  On  our  way  toward 
it  we  passed  iMtz.ii^erahrs  Rock,  a  bell-sha])ed  ])rojection 
which  had  attracted  our  attention  on  the  ])assa!.;e  up.  It 
had  bien  our  intention  to  stop  on  the  \()yame  homeward, 
but  the  sea,  which  was  rolling  hij^h,  and  the  still  heav\' 
win<l  made  a  landint;  impossible.  In<k'ed,  we  had  little 
dc-sire  to  attempt  it,  for  the  dark  and  clond\-  sk\  had  cast 
such  a  j^loom  ovi  r  e\-er\lhinL^  as  to  dampen  all  ardor  for 
mw  explorations.  The  next  da\-  found  us  .it  .Saunders 
Island,  whither  we  had  c<  nie  for  birds  and  with  the  lio])e 
of  finding  ICskimo  relics.  We  circumua\ii;ated  the 
island,  looking;  for  a  safe  landini;-]>l.u'(,-,  which  w.is 
fuiallv  found;  but  the  wind,  having  ai;.iiu  increased  to 
almost  a  male,  made  it  imjjossible  to  yet  ashore  in  safit\\ 
so  tilt   ship  was  run  nmler  the  lee  of  llje  island,  the  clifls 


PT 


14^. 


/.\'  .//v'(  //(•  s/:.i.s: 


\  I 


of  which  rose-  ahniptly  from  the  wak-r's  cdt^c  to  tht- 
hti^ht  of  many   huiidR'd   feet. 

Myriads  of  birds  had  their  nests  on  the  face  of  these 
cliffs,  and  a  rille-ljnllet  sent  to  these  otherwise  inaccessi- 
l^le  heif^hts  startled  so  nian\-  birds  as  to  almost  darken 
the  sky  as  the\-  rose  in  the  air  and  left  their  lofty  homes 
in  flij^ht.  The  sides  o[  the  rocks  were  abont  two  miles 
loni;  and  so  covered  with  nests  and  birds  as  to  j^ive  to 
them  a  characteristic  color.  It  was  onr  hope  that  on  the 
morrow  an  opporiunity  wonld  be  alTorded  ns  of  .^oint^ 
ashore  and  luuinj;  a  close  view  of  this  interestinj^-  island, 
the  appearance  of  wdiich  from  the  ship  was  verv  pictnr- 
es(ine.  On  its  southern  side  a  larj^e  and  beantifnl  cas- 
cade was  seen  fallin<4  from  a  di/,/.\-  hei)^ht  to  the  sea 
below,  and  the  ])atches  of  yreen  near  the  fallini.;-  waters 
showed  the  beneliceiit  intlnence  of  fresh  water  and  snn- 
li<;lu.  This  rich  harvest  of  stranj^e  mosses  and  lichens 
wailing  to  be  leathered  made  onr  botanist  espccialK'  anx- 
ious to  ^(.1  ashore.  The  wind  was  blowin.ij^  so  hard  that 
Ca])tain  Pike  endeavored  to  make  the  ship  fast  to  an  ice- 
berg which  was  thou.nht  to  l)e  firinh'  <;ronnded;  but  the 
sailors,  who  had  taken  onr  hawser  in  a  small  boat,  had 
hardly  reached  it  when  it  was  found  to  be  mo\in^,  and 
they  were  nearh'  crushed  between  the  beri:;'  and  the  \essel. 
It  was  onl\-  b\  the  nu)sl  strenuous  exertions  that  the 
boat  escaped  and   they   were  sa\ed. 

.Xnchora.^e  was  fmalK  found  in  fd'teen  fathoms  of 
water,  but  the  bottom  bein^  smooth  rock,  the  anchor  did 
not  hold  the  ship  well  a;^aiusl  the  heav\  wind,  and  we 
shifted  our  position  se\eral  times  duriu!^- the  ni^ht.      .\n- 


7//A"  r< >).!(,/■:  (>r  ////■:  a///-; 


147 


othrr  (lay  was  passid  1\  in.t^  Ui  under  tlu'  lii'  of  Saunders 
l>Lmd  with  lln.'  wind  slill  ])lowin,!^  a  ,nak',  and  tliis  linic 
wc'  fliani^fd  our  localion  I)nt  liltk",  as,  with  tlif  aid  of 
onr  anrlidis  and  tin.'  use  of  siiani  (luring;  tlio  liaiik->l 
Mows,  wc  niatia^t^fd  to  kftp  under  the  hiL;h  cdiff^.  which 
foutinned  to  afford  souu-  slielter.  The  s(|ualls.  whieli 
foUowid  one  another  in  (juiek  ^ueeession,  were  nio->t  kai- 
fnl  and  xiok'Ut,  au''  the  few  nu)nients  of  intir\'enin<; 
cakn  seenud  only  yixeu  to  eiiahk-  llie  .s^ak-  to  iuiMtase 
its  slreu<4lh  in  its  el'forls  to  o\erwliehn  us.  The  w  in(k 
whieh  liad  l)k)wu  with  almost  unahati'd  fur\'  for  the  last 
four  da\s,  at  last  be^^au  to  nioikrate,  and  late  at  nis^ht, 
!)>•  steauiiui^'  close  under  the  c]iff>.  we  were  (.uaklcil  to 
approach  near  enough  to  shore  to  enter  coniparatix  el\ 
smooth   water  and  make  a   laudin;^   in  a  small   boat. 

(  )ne  end  of  the  island  was  Hat.  and  there'  it  wa>  that 
we'  found  some  sii^us  of  Mskinio  Hie'.  There  were  .--e\  eral 
unoccupied  stone  huts,  a  ^led^e,  the  franuwork  of  a 
kajak,  some'  old  ]uece>  of  iron  and  bone  tools,  and  a  lew 
other  e\  ideuce'S  of  the  ])lace'  ha\  iiii;  been  \\>L-d  reeeuth 
as  a  e-amj)  b\  natixes.  'i'here'  were  also  some  stone  i^iraxts 
coiUaiuin;^  a  few  scatte're'd  bones,  but  nothiuL;'  thai  indi- 
catrd  that  there  had  bi'e'U  au\  recent  burials.  After 
coui])letiu,i;  our  iuxesti^atious  wi'  returne'd  to  the'  ship 
and  one'e'  more  starte-d  on  our  jouruex'  southward.  'IMie 
next  da\',  .\u_<.just  2d,  was  r.iin\  and  thick,  much  of  the 
«4raud  and  lofty  scene  r\-  which  characteri/eil  this  jiart  of 
the  \-o\a:.;e  beiui^  but  dinds'  visible  through  the-  foL;  and 
mist— a  fact  i^re'ath'  re'.nrelted  b\'  ali.  ( )nr  run  was  made' 
close  to  the   laud,  as  the  sea  further  out  w;is  lilled  with 


PF 


148 


/x  .//v'(7/("  s/:.is. 


)  • 


if"  vSc'N'c'tal  lar!:^^  -^'lai-iiis,  wliii-li  had  bciii  siin  on 
our  uortliward  jntinuA  only  at  a  (li>-taiu'i\  win-  imw  oh- 
stTVLcl  al  cloM'  raii,^!'.  Tlnir  iiniiK'iisi-  «.'\tciil  r(.ailil\' 
CNplaiiud  llu'  ()ri.i;iii  of  ihv  i^ii'al  iuiimIrt  and  size  of  the 
ict'lKT^^s  i'\(.'r\  whcif  visihk'.  'I'Ir-  famous  Conical  Rock, 
iitMirions  l)asallic"  fovnialion  dofrihi'd  loiii;  aijo  I>\'  Cap- 
lain  Koss,  was  pa>si(l,  and  \vi'  wxrc  soon  iindtT  llu>  kc 
of  Capi.'  York,  whose  "crinison  clilTs"  ^k\iini'il  in  tin.- 
occasional   bursts  oi'  siinlij^ht. 

These  crimson  cliOs  did  not  appear  1)>  any  means  so 
hi.i;hl\'  colored  as  we  had  expected  to  see  tliem,  hut  they 
prescntt'd  iiewrthelcss  an  aito^n-lher  unique  appearance, 
as  ever\\vhcre  else  in  Xortherii  (Ireenland  the  voek\- 
elills.  risiuiLj  abrupth  from  the  sea  exhibit  the  familiar 
stratified  formation  of  sandstone  rock.  Instead,  how- 
ever, of  bein^  of  the  uniform  dull-brown  color  eonimouK' 
seen  in  this  latitmle,  the\  were  of  a  tawn\-  reddish  hue. 
Opinions  dilTered  as  to  the  cause  of  this  peculiarity. 
Some  of  the  p;irt\  belie\'ed  that  it  was  due  simjily  to  a 
dilferenl  colored  sandstone,  but  the  botanist  claimed  th.it 
it  was  caused  b\-  the  .^ri'at  masses  of  an  orant^e-colored 
lichen  which  L^rew  e\er\  where  in  abtmdance. 

Patches  of  the  red  snow  peeuH.ar  to  the  Arctic  rcfjions 
were  observed  on  the  ^l.ieiers  and  in  the  sh.adv  nooks  of 
the  ice,  but  its  color  was  wholh-  different  from  th.it  of 
the  curious  clilTs  mentioned  abo\c.  I.ater,  we  had  .111 
oj)portunit\-  of  ^atherin<^  and  examininj:;-  some  of  this 
red  snow,  which  tx'eurs  in  ])atehes  and  exists  onl\-  on 
the  surface:  an  inch  below,  tin-  snow  was  ;is  ])ure  a  white 
as   that    found   au\ where.      The  color  was  not  nnifurni 


.  I 


■/■///■;  /VM'  /^/■.•  rv  /■///    Kin: 


>  P) 


fvcii  (111  llu"  surrux',  lull  ociiimd  in  >lri;ik-^.  (  )ii  c'l<i>ir 
cxaniiuiilioii  il  was  Ibuii'l  to  t\i>t  in  tlir  litllc  (.r\  >ials 
of  SHOW  uliic'li  r()iii]i(tsf(l  llu-  .sMrfac'c,  and  k\k\\  in  iIk^c 
tlu'  tinl  \va>  not  llu'  --.inu'  llironj^liont,  hut  ladialid  iVuin 
cc'titfcs,  WIk'M  llu'  snow  was  iiulti'd  it  tnniud  a  lui'^lit- 
rcd  li(|nid  about  llu'  sliadt-  ot'cdarcl  pniu-li,  and  on  .>tand- 
iii;^r  llic  colorinj^  inattcT  j^iadually  scttlid  to  tlic  iMittoiii 
as  a  del'])  ri'd  scdinu'iit,  which,  nndcr  llu-  niiciost'opf. 
j)rov(.'d  to  l)f  coiiipostfl  of  a  tninult'-cidli-d  phint.  ihr /)/>;- 


fin (U (Hi  >ii:n/is 


vSo 


olor  tliat  cA'iii   iindiT 
wliich  cansi's  a   ri-d 


intcnsf  is  1 
a  iiowtr  of  four  hundred  diainrtcrs 
coriMisclc  of  thf  blood  to  appear  almost   coIorUss,  it   was 
still  of  a  brilliant  red  hue. 

'rwclve  miles  below  the  cape  siAcral  skin  tints  iH" 
natives  were  indistinctly  scin  thion^h  tin-  lo-^.  Soon 
the  sound  of  "  Ki-iiio  "  was  hrard  rcpcatidlw  couiiii'^ 
from  the  shore.  This  is  the  cry  b\  which  the  I'',>kiiuos 
jjjrcet  the  arrival  of  a  ship,  and  in  a  few  niiuutrs  tlu- 
natives  were  seen  coiiiiii;^  toward  us  oxir  tlu'  ic-e,  s'-uie 
oil  foot,  and  others  with  sledi^es  and  do;^'^.  Their  pe- 
culiar attire  and  \arious  antics  cxpri'ssiiii^  delight  ])re- 
sented  a  most  intercstiii;^  s])ectacle.  The  ship  w  is 
made  fast  to  the  ici',  which  reached  some  i iisla uce 
from  the  shore;  but  v\x\\  liefoie  we  had  our  ice-aiuli(.rs 
firmh'  inserted  the  uati\es  were  tliinbiu^  o\i.r  the  side  >. 
As  soon  as  the  ship  was  propi.Tl\  secured  some  ot"  our 
])arty,  inclndin_y;  nnselt",  went  off  on  tlu-  ic-e.  Thi>. 
althouj^h  quite  thick  and  hea\\,  was  roui^li  ami  much 
broken  U]),  with  scams  of  water  ruuniiiL;  in  all  directions. 
While    the  ship    was    appiuachiii;^    the   >hore    the    tents 


.S-^^^ 


I  so 


/.\-  .ih'i  //c  sr.is. 


wliic-li  \V(.'  had  (ksciicd  lliroii^li  the  ro<j  a.i;ain  c.iiin.' iiitf) 
\  icw.  'IMr'V  well.-  al  llial  tiiiir  so  far  olTas  to  hf  scarcely 
(lisliiiL.Miisliai)I(.-  iVoiii   the  inaii\    iicc-iiliaiiy-sliapi-d  rocks 


I  I 


if! 


wliii-h  (.■oiistilulr  the  iiic)Uiilaiii->i«k>  in  thr  \i(.-iiiii\  of 
the-  (.ape;  it  was  lowaid  ihoc-  teiils  thai  our  coiir>e-  was 
(lirrc-lrd. 

\\'i'  liail  >i'.irc\l\   Kit   ihf  \csm  1  whin  mhiu  of  tlu-  ua- 


,     ^ 


/■///■;  i(^):i(,/-:  or  riii-  kiii: 


'51 


ti\is  (111  l)(i;nil  iidliccd  llial  \vc  wcif  .^oiii!^  in  llu-  diirc- 
lioii  ot'llKii  \illa:^c\  and  oiif  ^.M  iluiii  \\a-<  xmii  (i\i  r  tlu- 
sidf  and  liastciiiiii^;  afUT  us.  St-i-iii;^  llial  lit.'  \vi>ln.(l  I  > 
acc()iii|iaiiy  us,  wc  slopped  and  .iwaitid  liiiu,  as  it  was 
C'\:d(,iil  froiu  his  luauucr  llrit  lie  was  uuwilliu;^  tor  us  to 
\ciitun'  a(.'i(>--s  aloiK'.  \\\-  wlit  oulx  too  ^lad  to  lia\c' 
liiui  join  us,  as  tra\ 'lliii'^  o\(.r  tlir  hvoktii  ai:d  ti»tir(.;i 
iff  was  both  diflicull  aufl  dau^fious.  IK  prowd  to  hr  a 
most  iiicriy  liltlc  tVllow,  and  with  him  artiii^  as  imiulc- 
\vc  were  able  to  pro,i;rcss  more  rapidh-  and  with  ^natrr 
safcU'  lliaii  wc  woulfl  liavf  been  aide  to  do  it'  Kit  to  our- 
selves. He  would  run  ahead,  junipinj^;  iVoin  oiu'  eakiot" 
iee  to  another  with  the  !L,neatesl  case  and  ai^ililw  stojipiiiL; 
onl\-  when  one  of  lis  wr)uld  mil  a  tall  or  a  t"o<)t  wet  in  the 
water  whieh  was  lying  here  and  there  in  pool>  on  ihe 
surtaee  of  the  ice;  then  he  would  exince  his  aiiiuse- 
meiil  at  our  discomfiture  b\-  mi\  intj  wav  to  most  lie:irt\- 
lau.L^hler.  Clad  as  we  were  in  lieaxv  overcoats  and 
loni;  boots,  we  must  indeed  ha\'e  presented  an  awkward 
spectacle  ill  our  endeavors  to  keep  up  with  our  niuible 
Companion;  liowtAcr,  under  his  guidance  we  sonn 
reached    the  shore. 

The  iiatixe  \  illa^e  was  loutid  to  be  situatid  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  iVoui  the  water's  edj^e,  up  the  si<U  (;f 
the  mountain.  There  was  110  path,  and  we  had  to  climb 
o\er  and  .around  the  lar;H'  rocks  and  bouhUrs  with  whieh 
tile  L^round  w.is  c\  i  r\ wheie  cii\-er<.(l.  Tliis  w.is  i  \  i  u  a 
more  dilTicult  and  laborious  undertaking  than  (Hir  pa:~>ai;e 
over  the  ice.  The  rocks,  beiuu;  wet  iVoiu  tlie  rain  ,uid 
fo;^   and    i-o\ered    with    lichen--,  were  \  cry  slippery,   and, 


>«■' 


152 


/.\-  .iA'i//(   s/:.is. 


ciu'uni1)fR(l  as  \vf  wvw  by  lu-avy  cloth iui;,  oiir  pn^^Mt-s'; 
was  n(.-ci'S>arilv  slow. 

Ani\iii,n  al  last  al  llu- \illa!;c,  wc  foiiiid  il  inucli  more 
(.xtciisivc  than  the  oiu-  already  seen  farther  north.  It 
consistid  of  ahont  a  do/en  skin  or  summer  1k)MS's  and 
twenty  stone  huts,  nse<l  only  in.  winter.  The  village 
was  situated  on  very  ronj^h  <;round,  the  tents  hein^^ 
erected  where\er  space  enoti'^h  for  them  conld  he  fi.und 
hetwtxai  the  boulders.  Tln'y  wtae  rather  close  to,!.4ether, 
but  the  st(*ne  huts,  on  tin.'  contrary,  bein;.;  built  wlur- 
e\ir  a  favorable  spot  coidd  be  found,  were  more  scattereil, 
most  of  them  bein.t^-  uvav  to  the  sea. 

The  place  was  ])ractically  deserted,  the  inhabitants 
ha\  iuL;  ^omoff  to  our  ship.  .\  few  women,  children,  and 
doi^s  were  all  that  j^reeted  our  arrival;  tlu>  seemed 
j^reatK-  astoni^hed  at  such  an  une\])ecled  visit,  and  wi  re 
cvidentK-  somewhat  alarmed.  The  xoun^er  childnn 
showc-d  their  fear  by  cryin^u;  and  clin^ini.;  closelv  to 
their  motlu  r>.  A  lew  presents  ot"  needles  soon  assured 
the  women  of  our  friiudliuess,  and  at  once  caused  peace 
to  rei^n.  On  hx^kiu!^  around  dirt  .md  refuse  wi're,  as 
usual,  found  to  be  e\erywhere  pri>ent.  The  bunts  ;ind 
partlv -consumed  carcassis  ot  w.drust's,  narwhals,  and 
seals  were  scattiied  indisi  i'minatel\'  about.  Tlu'  wattr 
from  the  uielliuL;  snow  of  tlu'  mountains  tri.  kled  throULdi 
the  xilla^e,  and  with  llu'  little  snow  between  the  rocks 
and  the  omnipresent  tilth  matk-  the  w.ilkiui;  liisa^reeable 
cnou.L^h. 

We  separated,  and  wandered  thioULjh  the  pi. ice  luok- 
iu^H  into  tents  ami  seeing  what   we  couUl.      TeepinL;   into 


////•;  I  (>). !(,/■:  '-/■'  ////•;  a///-; 


^53 


oiU"  of  tluni,  I  saw  a  woman  dili^c'tilh'  ciiiplo\f(l  in   ciU- 
liiij^  and  scwinjj;  skins.      SlRwn   all   ahont   the  interior 


l-KIM(i    1;i'M:    MIMI,    lUD- I  li!:i.^    AillAl.    >I/.K. 

won-  furs  and  siwinj^  iniiikiiK-iits,  so  it  appcaivd  (.n  idciit 
that  I  had  found  a  tailor.  .\lthou,i;h  tlu-  clothing  of  ail 
of  ns  ncfik'd  n.-j)airs  and  considirahlf  patchiu^,  I  ^.■^- 
pccialh'  wa^.  sulTc-.in.t;  for  a  new  pair  of  trousers.  litre 
aptn-a.  1  to  be  a  chatiee  not  to  l;e  lost,  so  uei^otiatious 
were  at  onee  opened  with  the  lady  lor  their  manufacture 
1)\  i)resentin<j;  her  with  a  ]^nife.  It  was  not  w  itlioul  cou- 
s!<!'  'able  dilTieully  that  I  succeeded  in  convtviuL;  to  lur 
...;  .p]>ro\imate  idea  of  the  st\  le  of  article  desired,  as  I 
wished  them  to  reach  to  the  leel  instead  ofouK  ju>l  below 
the  knee,  as  was  "a  la  modi-"  at  Cape  \'ork.  'IMiat 
much  was  al  last  accomplished,  but  the  aildition  of 
pockets  beim^  beyond  her  powers  ot  comprehension,  I 
was  compelled  to  forego  those  luxuries. 

The  question  of  sty'e  haxin;..;  bii  u  deiidid,  shi-  pio- 
ceedeil  to  take  m\  measure'.  This  was  done  in  ,i  ratlu  r 
novel  manner.  Ha\in;^  selected  a  seal-skin  of  sutiicieul 
length  and  width  t'rom  a  ]iile  in  one  corner  ol  tlu  tent, 
it  w.is  wra|)ped  around  the  lind)  tlu'  fur  side  bein>j 
placed  inward;  tlu- sur])Ius  m.itirial  was  ilun  biui  oxi-r 
with  the  tinkers  and  tlu-  skin  renio\fd.  'I'lu-  crease  so 
foi  lied  ser\ed  as  a  ^uide  for  tlu-  ne-\t  pro(H-(lure,  wliich 
coiisisli-d  in  bitin;^  alou-^  the  line-  with  tlu-  ti-eth  so  .is  to 
cause  the   lold   to  lie   llit.      This  beiui^  .u-eouiplislud,  it 


K>\ 


/.y  .lA'iVvr  s/:  is. 


.  I  ■  • 


was  a,L;aiii  applinl  to  llu' iiinh  am!  a  h\v  >'ii^lit  alltrat  ions 
iiiarkrd  with  an  ailiiilioiial  l)ilr  licir  ami  tluic.  Tlu' 
>'iiai)t.'  lia\iiii;  l)(.'i-ii((iit  liiU'd,  tiir --kiu  wa^  aL^ain  niiiowd, 
aiul  ihf  liiirs  lliiis  iiiarkrd  hi-iii^  lullowi-d  willi  a  nuUly- 
iiiadf  kiiilr,  t  1k'  oiiltiii^  of  llir  Iroiisrrs  was  fonijiKti-d. 

Willi  {\\c  ohjc'ct  of  racilitatiiii^'  llu'  woik.  1  oflln-d  ]\vv 
tliL'  nsr  of  a  pair  of  scissors  wdiii'li  I  hail  hvoiiuilit  with  iiU' 
fioiii  thf  -^hi]'.  hut,  luaii;^  ciitiix-K'  luif iiiiiliai-  with  tlnir 
n-'C,  she  pirrnrrc]  Ikt  own  knik',  and,  sninL^-  I  was  onl\' 
(kda\  ini;  o])t.rations,  I  \iiitnir<l  to  niakr  no  nioU' sul^'^cs- 
tions.  Desiring  to  ha■^l^•n  tluir  nianuf u'lnn\  1  Ljavt' 
luT  a  few  additional  nreilK's,  Imt  soon  lound  llia.t 
I'.^kinio  character  rc-cndilcd  in  sonu'  rc--]Hcts  that  exist- 
in:^-  in  niori'  ti^nipcrati'  zonts,  and  that  it  was  not  alwa\s 
1^  lod  policN'  to  pa\-  in  ad\ancc.  Instead  of  workin'^ 
f a^tei',  ni\  tailor  kiLji^ed  still  more;  indeed,  so  litilc  proi;- 
re>s  was  niadt,  and  so  evident  was  it  that  she  w.is 
()nl\-  endea\()rini';  to  (.xtort  additionad  pa\  from  nie,  that, 
appreciating:  ni\  mistake,  and  despairin;^ of  m'ttin;^^  ]n\' 
nmeh-needed  article  of  clothing  I'omplelcd,  1  decided  on 
taking  them  awa\'  as  lhe\   ware. 

Jnst  at  this  moment  I  w,is  dist-ov  c  reil  1)\  soimnf  m\' 
couiiianions  from  the  A '/A,  anil,  as  the\  were  ahont  re- 
turning; to  the  ship,  I  '^n[  riMiK  to  aceom]>,nn  them 
Taking  the  unfnii--hed  troupers  .aw,i\  from  the  woman, 
who  parted  with  them  reluctanth,  wi-  started  off  Wi- 
ll id  not  ;^one  fir  wlu  n  we  saw  that  •-he  wa>  follnwin^  n>, 
appeariiiL;  to  rcL^ret  h/r  unsremh  lieha\  ior  and  wi^hiii'^ 
to  make  anuaids.  'IMie  ship  w,i>  miou  reached,  and,  fiiid- 
ili'i    the    dee'k^  lull    of   ll,lti\e-^,   I  at  oner  coiuracli  d    with 


H 


I 


"""""laMMIMMi 


M  'I 


////•;  ro): !(,/■:  or  ////■:  a///:. 


157 


sonic  to  liaw  the  work  conipU'tcd  on  l)()ar(l.  vSt.\(.ral 
wdiiR'n  l)C'L;au  on  tluni,  and  as  soon  as  in\'  hack  was 
turned  ni\'  original  tailor  joined  tlic  ^roup.  I»v  the 
kuij^htcr  wliicli  soon  arose  I  was  convinced  tliat  lht'\  aj)- 
])recialed  the  true  state  of  alTairs  and  were  amused  at  her 
discomfiture.  The  trousers  were  soon  finished,  and  I 
wore  tlieiu  until  our  return  south  necessitated  a  cliau<.;e 
to  more  civilized  attire. 

As  inan\-  as  fifty  Ivskiinos  had  come  to  \isit  us,  some 
on  foot,  ;ind  others  witli  d.oj^-s  and  sled.tjes.  They  hrought 
uUmi}^  many  articles  to  trade;  indeed,  they  seemed  to 
]ia\-e  with  them  almost  cverythin,^-  they  possessed,  e\-en 
to  the  Ions  of  their  children. 

Our  visitors  were  of  all  a_o;cs,  sizes,  and  conditions, 
ineludin;.;-  the  hahies,  who  oa/.ed  on  the  stran<^e  si.^rhts 
with  wonder  and  interest.  »Somc  of  them  were  not  over 
a  month  or  tw(j  old,  beinjf  carried  on  their  mothers' 
backs.  Their  cute  little  faces  and  bri.^ht  black  c\es 
peering  out  from  their  odd  restiiij^;-i)lace  made  (|uitc  an 
interestin<;  picture.  Many  of  the  smaller  children  were 
obsi'r\ed  munchin;^  away  with  .^reat  axidity  on  raw 
birds  which  had  been  j^ixen  to  them  by  the  sailors,  and 
exhibitiiis;"  as  much  pleasure  as  the  civilized  child 
would  exjierience  in  e,uin<;'  cakes  and  candy.  Alter 
consumiuij  the  bird  the\-  iiuariably  rubbed  the  fatly 
skin  oxer  their  faces;  this  they  are  tauj^ht  to  do  at  an 
earlv  a^e,  as  the  coatiuLj  of  grease  so  a])plied  serxes  to 
render  the  exposed  skin  less  sensitive  and  protects  it 
from  the  extreme  cold  of  winter.  Some  of  them  pre- 
sented,   indeed,    a   most   ludicrous   appearaaice  owiui;;   to 


IvS 


/.\-  .iA'(//(   .s/;. /.s 


)  »'^ 


iIk-  t'calhcrs  whicli  iviiiaiiu-tl  on  tin-  face  alU'r  ilu'  i-oiii- 
pk'lioii  dT  this  jJiotHiluM-. 

Tlif  adult  ])(»iliiin  of  our  \i>il(pr>  wMiukrid  about  llic 
ship  at  their  pkasuie,  lookiii,^;  iulo  (.miv  nook  and 
c'oiuer  ami  L'xhihiliu.L;  the  ulniosi  curiosity.  They  were 
so  j^ood-natuied,  harmless,  ;ind  ehildlike  in  tluir  man- 
ner that  it  was  a  pleasure  to  show  thcni  whatevir  we 
could.  TIka  were  mueh  ileliiL^htt'd  in  lookin;^  at  iheiu- 
seK'es  in  a  mirror,  and  a  ])air  of  hlne-jL^lass  speelac-les 
loaned  to  out-  of  them  were  not  returui'fl  until  iIka  had 
keen  passed  from  hand  to  hanil  ami  each  had  had  a  look 
lhruu<,di  them. 


ciiA  i''ri:R  XI. 


AlU'lK'     Cl.OTIIlNt.         A    Sll.lK.l     KIlH  A\     InHK.N  \NI'    I!>l<IMn 

I.M'V         rili:    N\ll\l,     l•^l(■,^,       Si. I. 111. I. s. 


^T"^!  11"',I\  IC  l)(.iii,L;  siuli  a  lai^r  umiiln  i  ol  iiati\(.>  on  iIk- 

-i-     --liip,  ail   (.•xnllciu    opiMii  luiiily  \va>   allnKkd    ii>  dt" 

<)l)S(.i\  iii;^    llu-   ptculiar    cliaiatlrr  tii'   lliiir  cldtliiiii;   and 

kMiiiiii;^   how  t!uy  piokck'd   i1iliiim.i\  l>    tVoin  iIil'  iiL;oi-^ 

(if  lluii'  (.'liiiiaU'.      Tile  iiiixli'  of  (l!(>>   in  liotli  M'\f>  was 

iiincli  alikf.  and  (.■oii>i>li(l  (jf  a  j-irkfl,  lIon>^c^•^,  and  liool>. 

'IMust.'  well'  iiKuk'  lilktr  ol'  llu'  >kin  of  'lir  krar.  seal,  do^;, 

()V  iviiKk'c  r,  ami  ofliii  a  cdinhinalion  ol   ail.      Sial  i>  tlio 

iiio>l    tic(|iuiill\    iisi'ck    tin-    otluis    kiiiiL;    k ->   i-onmu)ii. 

Tlir  jacket  (.•nvt-rs  tin-  l)od\   from   ilic  w.iisl   up,  and  Ici- 

ininalts  in  a  liood  wliicli  (.'omis  the  lirad,  kiU  IcaNcs  .i  iiart 

ol'  ikc  facT  cxposftk      This  jackfl  is  iiiadt.-  in  llic  fonn  of 

a  single  piece,  and  is  put  on  1)\   kiiiii;  hron^kl  down  o\ci" 

till-  head;   no  kn'toiis  or  otlur  fasUniiiiL^s  arc  iiscd  cxccpl 

wkcii    iniltcns  arc   worn,  which  arc    tied  aroiind    at    the 

wiist>.    The  hood  fits  clo>cl\    to  the  >i(k   of  ihc  face,  onl\- 

lca\iiiL;  the  latter  e\]>o>ed  iVoiii  the  forcliiad  to  tlu-  (  hiii. 

The   trousers   reach    iVoin   the  waist  to  the  call   ol   the 

Icl;,  and    haw   two   opruiip^s   .1    few    inclics    lon;^    in    the 

>i(k>,  which   arc   clo^iij    k\   nie.iiis  of  a  tord.      'I'lie  hoots 

ari'  alwa\s  niaile  donhk-,  tlic   inner  part    hcini^   llu    ^kin 

of  sonic   lonL;-haired  aiiiinal,   snch   as   tin.'   hiar   or  do^^ 

with    the  Ini"  inriRd   inwartl.   and   tlie  untci  of  .st,-al-skin 
11  i.'.t 


iCiC) 


/.V  .lA'C/VC  .SA". /.V 


M'' 


witli  the  hair  R'liKJwd.  Thcs'  aw  (h'awii  up  omt  the 
liiwti-  (.'lid  of  thi.-  trousfis  and  hoiitid  firiiil\-  about  tht.- 
calf  of  llic  k'!^  with  leather  ihouj^'s,  thus  uiakiu.^  ihi' 
cnsiuuie  walei-lii^hl  U])  to  tlit-  waist.  I'udcrueath  this 
outii  suit  there  was  \vf)ru,  1)\-  some,  au  undi  r-jaekit. 
likiwise  e\ti'ndiu,i,f  to  tlie  waist,  hut  without  tile  hood. 
This  was  uiade  of  bird-skins  sewn  to^'ether,  and  worn 
with  the  fiMthers  next  to  the  skin.  The  jaeket  and 
trousers  just  about  met  at  the  waist;  indeed,  so  sli_L,ditlv 
proti'eted  was  this  part  of  the  body  that  in  bendini;  over 
the  bare  skin  was  frequently  exposed. 

The  hands  arc  protected  by  mittens  made  of  doj^-skin. 
These  are  not  very  lonj.^,  but  sufTiciently  so  to  _l;o  up  iin- 
cKr  the  tnd  of  the  sleeves  of  the  jacket,  the  point  of 
nieetinj^  ])ein<^  made  more  secure  by  l)indin_v;;  with  .a  strip 
of  skin. 

The  only  difference  in  the  costumes  of  the  women  and 
UK  11  was  in  the  jacket.  In  the  former  the  hood  was  made 
somewhat  hij^her  in  order  to  accommodate  their  hair,  and 
a  few  i)ossesscd,  in  addition,  a  pouch  on  the  back  in  which 
the  infants  were  placed  and  so  carried  around.  Some  of 
these  pouches  had  an  opcnin,i>;  cut  in  them,  so  that  the 
child  could  rest  in  contact  with  the  bare  skin  of  its 
iiiother,  and  in  that  way  obtain  additional  warmth.  The 
child,  usually  naked,  is  placed  in  the  pouch  and  packed 
around  with  fur  and  feathers.  When  the  mother  desires 
to  take  the  baby  out,  she  stoops  forward,  bends  her  head 
well  down,  and  .i;i\es  her  body  a  shake.  This  starts  the 
infant  from  the  jioucli,  and  the  mother,  raisinj;  her  hands 
over  her  shoulder,  draws  it  forth. 


////■;  Kn.K./-:  (>/■   ////:  a///-;. 


if)i 


'Plu'  jackit  and  hood,  luiiij^  iiiaiK'  in  a  sin^U-  jiit'ce. 
arc  XI  ;  i.i^id  and  fit  so  ti,i;litly  thai  it  is  ahnost  inipossihli- 
to  tnvn  thr  lu-ad  withonl  nH)\in,^^  ihi-  ho(l\-.  Whrii  it  is 
(K'sind  to  look  in  an\  |),ii  ticnlar  diiiTtion,  tlicy  tuin 
around  with  a  stitV,  awkward  nio\i'nK'iit  nntil  thr  ohji^cl 
is  hronj^lit  within  \  icw.  'i'hc  fur  ilotliinj;,  hi'inn  niadi- 
of  skin^  thai  arc  rathi'r  han!  wdun  (.nn-d  and  not  pir- 
fccll)  |)Iial)k',  prc-vcnts  ihi-ir  nui\in.L;  with  llial  tVii-doni 
wliicli  is  possible  with  oilier  people.  This  i^ixis  to  liu  ir 
ni()\enieuls  a  slifTand  anlonialic  eharaeter,  which  at  tir>t 
sijL,dU  appears  (|nile  droll,  and  slron,iL,d\  reminds  one  ot' 
ihe  actions  of  the  puppets  seen  al  shows  j^iven  tor  the 
aninseinent  of  children.  The  small  size  o(  ihv  Iv^kinio 
as  compared  to  the  averaj;e  ICuropean  al>o  adds  to  the 
effect  and  tends  to  en- 
hance the  resemblance. 

The  natives  were  con- 
tinually Roini;  backward 
and  forward  tVom  the  ves- 
sel to  the  shore,  brint^injr 
things  for  trade.  It  was 
durinj;  one  of  these  trips 
that  I  was  enabled  to  en- 
jo\-  the  noveltx'  and  jileas- 
nre  ol"  a  sle(lj;c-ride.  Ivski- 
nu)  fashion.  I'or  a  few 
trinkets    a   nati\e   placed 

himself,  his  sledj^e,  and  his  doiL^s  al  ni\-  disposal.  I  had 
hardlv  seated  nnself  on  the  furs  with  which  the  sled<;e 
was  co\cred,    and   indicakd    thai    I    was  ready    to  start. 


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/.v  .ik'cr/c  s/cis. 


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» i 


I  ' 


when  the  Eskimo's  wife,  who  had  been  left  on  the 
ship,  came  out  on  llic  ice  after  ns.  vShc  sliowed  at  once 
lier  dis])leasnre  at  our  breach  of  etiquette  in  deserting 
her,  and  evidently  wished  to  go  along.  The  ICskinio  de- 
murred, and  seemed  anxious  to  know  what  my  wishes 
were  in  the  matter.  Noticing  the  woman's  determina- 
tion, and  not  wishing  to  lose  m\-  ride  (besides  being 
the  cause  of  domestic  difficulty),  I  gallantly  intimated 
bv  signs  my  conseiU  and  even  pleasure  at  the  lady's  com- 
])any.  In  the  UK-an  -i.nc,  while  the}-  were  wrangling 
with  each  other,  the  dogs  had  taken  advantage  of  the 
delay  thus  caused,  an;l  staried  a  fight  amongst  themselves, 
getting  their  harness  so  tangled  up  that  it  required  .some 
time  to  put  the  team  in  running  order  again.  Finally, 
Mrs.  Eskimo  and  myself  got  properly  seated  on  the 
sledge,  and  the  dogs  were  started  off  at  a  lively  trot,  the 
driver  running  longside.  He  controlled  and  guided  the 
dogs  with  such  skill  as  to  keep  a  uniform  tension  on  the 
traces,  and  occasionally,  as  the  team  increa.sed  its  speed, 
would  jmnp  on  the  back  part  of  the  sledge  and  ride  until 
some  rough  ice  or  a  strip  of  water  interfered  with  our 
progress. 

Not  infrequently  the  dogs  would  jump  over  a  crack  in 
the  ice,  and  before  the  sledge  could  be  stopped  it  would 
bring  up  against  the  opposite  side  with  such  a  sudden 
jar  as  to  throw  one  from  the  seat.  On  such  occasions 
the  driver  would  lift  the  front  of  the  sledge,  and,  with  a 
few  cracks  of  the  whip,  again  proceed  onward.  When  a 
fissure  was  too  large  to  be  crossed  in  this  niauncr,  he 
would  follow  along  its  side  until  a  narrower  place  was 


'/■///•;  ro )'.!(;/■:  oi'  /'///■:  kite. 


163 


le 

ce 


foniul,  over  wliicli  llic  sk-(l<j;(.-  was  pushed,  one  end  beiiiL,'' 
allowed  to  rest  on  the  ice  on  each  side.  \\\  this  means  a 
bridf>;e  was  formed  o\er  which  both  onrschx'S  and  do,^s 
crossed  in  safety.  The  Kskimo  do<^s  a])pear  to  have  a 
threat  dislike  for  water,  and  would  not  attempt  the  cross- 
ino-  of  any  cracks  so  wide  as  to  expose  them  to  the  risk  of 
fall  inn;  in. 

As  we  bcji^an  to  encounter  nnicli  loose  and  broken  ice, 
and  the  travellin_i^  was  ver\-  rou<,di,  I  requested  my  j^nide 
to  return  to  the  .ship.  We  wer°  soon  speedin_q;  alont^ 
o\-er  a  more  rej^ular  surface,  the  smooth  <;lidin_t^  homeward 
in  the  cold,  bracin<ij  air  being  most  exhilaratiu<>-.  I)\- 
this  time  Madam  Eskimo  had  quite  re<^ained  her  temper, 
and  assisted  her  husband  by  yellin_(>;  their  peculiar  cr\-, 
"  Ka!  ka!  "  at  the  do<^s,  which  seemed  to  incite  them  on 
and  kept  them  mo\iu,g-  at  a  lively  pace.  Upon  our 
arrival  at  the  vessel  the  driver  at  once  proceeded  to  cut  a 
couple  of  holes  in  the  ice,  close  toj^ethcr  and  meetino;  at 
the  bottom;  the  traces  were  then  pas.scd  tlirou(>;h  from 
one  to  the  other  and  tied  on  top.  The  team  havin^r  been 
safely  secured  in  this  manner,  we  went  on  board;  the 
doc^s  howled  dismally  at  beint;  so  unceremoniously  de- 
serted, but  the  unheedin<»-  driver  and  his  sjjouse  were  soon 
on  deck  min^;lin,o-  with  the  others. 

The  Kskimo  doLjs  are  about  two  feet  in  heiy;ht,  and 
resemble  more  the  wolf  than  the  domestic  do*;  of  our 
countr\'.  Their  hair  is  lont;-,  coarse,  and  oih',  and  the 
head  resembles  that  of  the  Pomeranian  or  spitz  doo;,  the 
snout  beinf^  pointed  and  the  lars  erect.  Their  le^s  are 
quite  sturdy  and  thick,  the  bod\- compact  and  strong-,  and 


\ 


\■A^ 


mm 


164 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


M"' 


\\ 


the  busily  tail  is  carried  curled  over  the  back.  In  color 
they  are  priucipally  reddish  or  yellowish  brown;  black 
was  exceptional,  while  white  was  more  common,  but 
not  so  generally  met  with  as  the  color  first  mentioned. 

There  seemed  to  be  a  difference  in  type  between  the 
dogs  used  in  the  south  of  Cireenland  and  those  found  with 
the  wild  natives  of  the  North,  these  latter  being  smaller 
and  more  wolfish  looking,  although  possessing  the  same 
general  characteristics.  The  Eskimo  dogs  are  wild-look- 
ing animals,  and  have  a  cowardly,  sneaking  expression, 
whicli  is  no  doubt  largeh'  due  to  their  half-starved  condi- 
tion and  the  indifference  and  harshness  of  their  masters. 
It  is  only  when  emplo\ed  in  drawing  the  sledges  that 
they  are  given  food  in  any  quantity,  and  the  hungry  crea- 
tures about  the  native  camps  are  continually  howling  and 
fighting  among  themselves.  They  subsist  on  the  blubber, 
meat,  and  animal  refuse  given  to  them  by  the  natives, 
and  at  no  time  would  they  touch  the  salt  meat,  bread,  or 
biscuit  thrown  tliem  from  the  ship.  Their  fur  is  much 
used  by  the  natives  for  clothing.  They  are  harnessed  to 
the  sledges  by  means  of  a  leather  collar  to  which  is 
attached  a  line,  generally  of  walrus-hide,  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  in  length.  These  lines,  one  from  each  dog, 
are  fastened  to  a  heavy  thong  of  skin  between  the  run- 
ners of  the  sledge.  Five  to  eight  dogs  usually  constitute 
a  team.  They  travel  side  by  side,  being  guided  only  by 
the  voice  of  the  driver  and  the  occasional  lashings  of  a 
whip  which  is  .so  long  and  wielded  with  such  dexterity 
as  to  make  them  pursue  any  desired  course. 

The  .sledges  are  from  six  to  eight  feet  in  length  and 


i 


THE    \-OYAC.E   OF    THE   KITE. 


1 6  = 


I 


about  two  in  width,  the  runners  being  eight  inches  high 
and  made  up  of  fragments  of  wood  and  l^one  tightly 
bound  together  with  strips  of  skin.  Wood  is  so  scarce 
that  even  the  smallest  pieces  obtainable  are  utilized,  thus 
causing  the  sledges  to  look  like  mere  patchwork,  'i'he 
runners  are  .shod  with  pieces  of  walrus-tusks  about  a  loot 
long,  which  are  bound  to  each  other  and  to  the  runner 
with  thongs  of  hide.  These  thongs  are  passed  through 
holes  in  the  ivory  and  countersunk  to  avoid  being  worn 
out  in  passing  through  the  snow. 

The  top  of  the  sledge  is  composed  of  pieces  of  wood, 
and  occasionally  of  bone,  passing  across  from  one  runner 
to  the  other,  tightly  bound  together.  These  pieces  ;ire 
not  placed  close  to  one  another,  but  at  intervals  of  six  or 
eight  inches.  At  the  rear  end  of  the  sledge  are  two 
uprights,  about  two  and  one-half  feet  high,  connected  by 


si.r.D<;K. 


a  cross-piece,  the  whole  forming  a  handle  which  is  used 
to  guide  the  sledge  at  times,  and  also  to  lift  it  o\er  ob- 
structions. Coming  from  beneath  its  front,  and  fastened 
to  the  inner  sides  of  the  runners,  about  a  foot  from  their 


"•BRs-l*! 


i: 


166 


/.V  .lh'C77C  s/:.is. 


n»i' 


ends,  is  a  i>iece  of  thick  stron.iL,^  skin.      It  is  to  tliis  tliat 
the  harness  of  the  (l<).i;s  is  attached  wlien  travellinj^. 

The  whole  ot'  the  sled,!L;e  is  apt  to  l)e  so  covered  witli 
dirl  and  _^rease  as  to  ahnost  conceal  its  method  of  con- 
struction. Those  which  we  saw  all  appea^'ed  to  be  \-ery 
old,  and  had  e\-idently  descended  from  ])re\ious  i^cnera- 
lions.  Here  and  there,  in  some  of  the:.i,  were  noticc-d 
pieces  which  had  been  inserted  recently.  When  a  sledge 
be;;ins  to  show  the  effects  of  the  hard  nsa,L;e  to  which  it 
has  been  snbjected,  it  chjcs  not  break  np  all  at  once,  bnt 
rather  ^ives  out  in  some  particular  place.      This  spot  is 

then  mended,  either  by  a 
new  jiicce  bein^-  inserted 
or  by  beiny;  rebound  with 
tiionj^s,  and  the  sledge  thus 
enters  (jn  a  new  lease  of 
life.  The  ease  with  which 
repairs  can  be  made  obvi- 
ates the  necessity  of  1)uild- 
ini;  new  sledi^^es,  ;ind,  consequently,  after  one  has  l)ccn  con- 
structed, it  lasts  almost  for  ever.  Xotwitlistandin,^-  their 
clumsy  and  uui^rainly  appearance,  they  <,dide  over  the  ice 
quite  readih-,  the  ivory  runners  ofiferin^;  but  little  resist- 
ance. While  solidly  constructed,  they  nevertheless  pos- 
sess sufficient  "^ixe  and  elasticity  to  yield  to  the  joltini^ 
cxjierieuced  in  travelling-  over  roui.',h  and  uneven  ice, 
thus  making  riding  in  them  comfortable. 


NATIVK    niMI.I.. 


^! 


J' 


CHAPTKR    XII. 

Hows    ANP    ArRuVS.  — Sl'I.ARS    AM)    11  AR  I'l  K  )NS.  — IlrNTTXC,    THE 

Si;ai<    and     W'.vi.Rrs. — Scarcitv    oi-    Woon,— Chii.dri.ns 
Toys.  -MiCKRv  and  his  Doixcs. 

UXTIIy  our  visit  to  these  most  northern  I^skinios  no 
one  liad  e\'er  observed  them  to  jiossess  either  boats 
of  an\  description  or  Ijows  and  arrows;  but  amonj^-  the 
natives  of  Whale  Sound  we  found  a  couple  of  kajaks,  and 
also  a  few  bows  and  arrows. 

Thev  were  similar  in  form  and  construction  to  some 
which  we  afterward  saw  lower  down,  at  Cape  York. 
The  kajaks  were  of  about  the  same  size  as  those  of  the 


"XTsr: 


KAJAK    AND    PAnHIK.    WllAl.K   MUM). 

Eskimos  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Danish  settlements, 
but  were  neither  so  neatl\-  nor  so  well  made,  being  both 
more  clumsy  and  hea\ier.  The  skins  of  which  thev 
were  built  did  not  appear  to  have  been  so  carefully  jjre- 
pared  as  those  used  by  the  more  southern  natives,  the 
hair  often  being  allowed  to  remain  on  them  in  places. 
The  seams  also  were  neither  so  regular  nor  so  nicely 
sewn,    this  be'ng-    probabh-  due   to  the    fact  that   bone 

U!7 


HMHp 


1 68 


AV  .lk'C77C  s/-:.is. 


)^M. 


iu-f(llcs  were  used,  instead  of  steel  ones.  These  latter 
must  have  been  quite  rare  aniouj;  them,  if,  indeed,  they 
]M)ssessed  any  at  all,  altliou<;h  even  the  nali\es  of  Whale 
Sound,  when  we  j^ave  them  some,  apju'ared  to  reeo^iii/e 
and  understand  their  use. 

The  bows  which  were  obtained  from  the  natives  arc 
(piite  ]K'culiar  both  as  rej^ards  the  materials  of  which 
they  are  made  and  their  method  of  construction.  The\' 
are  coni])Osed,  usually,  of  three  large  and  four  small 
pieces  of  bone,  boinid  firmly  together  with  an  animal 
material  resembling  catgut.  The  large  bones  arc  the 
ribs  of  the  reindeer,  three  being  used  in  order  to  make 
a  bow  of  suiTicient  length.  These  are  placed  end  to 
end,  the  adjoining  surfaces  being  cut  off  square,  and  not 
overlapping.  The  two  e.\tremities  of  the  middle  piece 
thus  sinij)ly  rest  against  the  inner  ends  of  the  other  two 
bones,  the  ])oint  of  junction  being  strengthened  l)y  means 
of  a  thick  piece  of  bone,  al)out  two  inches  long,  below, 
and  a  thin  strip,  about  four  inches  long,  above.  The 
whole  joint  is  then  tightly  wrapped  with  thongs.     Run- 


»kks- 


m  iws. 


ning  from  one  end  of  the  bow  to  the  other,  and  stretched 
tightly  over  the  back,  are  a  number  of  thongs,  which  in 
the  finer  bows  are  made  of  plaited  strands;  one  of  them 


/■///•;  I ■()): !(;/■:  or  ////■:  a///-;. 


i6() 


liad  fifU'cn  of  thfsc  bound  to  the  hone  willi  the  same 
material  at  inteiAals  of  three  or  four  iuehes.  In  the 
commoner  l)o\vs  the  material  used  for  hindin^  and 
strengthening  them  is  mueh  eoarser,  and  e\idenlly  eon- 
sists  of  strips  of  some  kind  oi'  skin  ;  one  of  the  number 
had  only  three  such  cords,  and  e\en  tlujse  were  thick, 
and  not  plaited.  Another  one  possessed,  l)esi(les  the 
usual  innubcr  of  pieces,  three  additional  ones.  Oui'  was 
a  long',  thin  jiicce  of  bone,  and  the  others  two  thin  strips 
of  a  soft  wood  resembling  pine.  This  shows  the  i.^no- 
rance  of  the  people  concerning  the  properties  of  xarious 
kinds  of  wood,  because  the  use  of  so  soft  a  wood  for  the 
purpose  of  strengthening  the  bow  could  have  been  of  no 
.service  whatever.  These  bows  are  about  two  feet  and  a 
half  long,  quite  elastic,  and  ser\e  their  i)urpose  fairly 
well. 

The  arrows  are  between  a  foot  and  a  half  and  two 
feet  in  length,  and  composed  of  a  shaft  of  white  pine 
wood  with  a  point  of  iron.      The  shaft  was  rather  thick 


l!()W-(.\Sl:    AM)    i.illN'l  K. 


and  clumsy,  and  not  infre(iuentl\-,  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  wood  of  all  kinds,  made  of  two  or  three  se])a- 
rate  pieces  of  wood  or  bone,  joined  together  1)\-  being 


.L^ 


17" 


/A'  ./A'(//C  s/:.is. 


PM. 


luAclkHl,  (iverlaiipp(l,  and  wound  with  a  rnu-  animal  Hhro. 
TIr'  pari  of  the  shaft  that  ivcriwd  the  how-siring  was 
llalU  lud,  and  against  thr  side  of  onr  of  thf  arrows  was 
l)ound    a  single  small    ffatlR'r,    which,    howcAcr,    i-oidd 


.\KU«i\V.-    \VI  I  II     ll'iM,   .s|IAI'l>, 


lia\f  bren  of  little  or  no  service  in  !:;nidin,i4-  its  llii^ht. 
The  ])resence  of  this  feather  was  the  oidv  indication  of 
the  nati\es  haxin]:;  any  knowledge  of  their  use  in  stead\- 
inj4  an  arrow  on  its  course,  and  is  strongly  su,L;^(.'Sti\-e 
of  the  bow  and  arrow  heini;  eui])lo\ed  only  at  short 
raui^e.      The   pcunts   were   made   of  iron   or   ivor\'    from 


aac 


■mumi.-sT' 


JS2 


rmr 


AKK('\v->  -iiiiwiNT,  nil    >ri.iii\i;  m-  rwi:  sii\i-r  and  a  ^iNiai',  smam, 

HA  I  III  K. 


Ill 


\ 


three  to  five  inches  lon^-  and  sha]X'd  like  a  spear-head. 
How,  in  the  absence  of  anv  suitable  means  of  healing 
the  iron,  these  arrow-heads  were  fashioned  was  a  m\s- 
tery  to  us. 

On  cxaminint;-  the  bundle  of  arrows  wliich  were  ob- 
tained from  the  nati\'es  at  Cape  York,  mv  attention  was 
attracted  b\- one  which  ap]X'ared  to  have  sonu' letters  u]>on 


////;  /vir. /^/.•  i^/-  1  III-:  kin:. 


171 


it.  (  )ii  snapiii^  a\s;i\  the  rust  and  diil  I  was  asldiiishcd 
to  Sft.' tlu' words  "  I  )r.  IIa\rs,  \'\\.  iS^o,"  ])laiid\' slaiuind 
in   llic   iion.     Owinsj    to  our  inal)ilil\  to  utulcrstaiul  or 


ANIMW   III.AIM  Ui)M     I    II     IIA\I>    l.M'l  I  U  1  li  i\   i  .!■     iSlKi,  1  iNi;-Ki  ir  I:  1  11      \M  I  Al. 

coinnuinicatc  with  iIk-  natives,  wc  could  not  ol)tain  any 
history  of  this  most  intcMvstiiii^  relic,  nor  any  int'ornia- 
tion  as  lo  lunv  it  came  into  their  possession.  'IMie  care 
with  whicli  the\  treasure  iron  can  he  ap|)reci;fted  when 
we  reniendx'r  that  the\-  must  have  had  this  piece  for  o\er 
thirt\-  \ears.  It  had  ])rol)al)l\-  been  made,  t)rioinally, 
iVoni  an  old  knife  or  other  ship's  article  which  had  been 
marked  with  the  explorer's  name. 

Their  most  useful   huntin>;  implements  are  spears  or 
lances  and  harpoons.     The  former,  as  compared  to  the 


Sliall. 


latter,  are  simple  in  construction,  consistin.^  of  a  wooden 
sliaft  ^vith  an  ivorv  jioint  ti])iied  with  in)n.  The  shai't, 
on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  wood,  is  sometimes  made 
up  of  several  short  pieces  spliced  to.^elher  with  the  skill 
for  which  the  Kskimos  are  noted.  It  is  shod  at  its  ex- 
tremity with  a  little  cap  w  block  of  ivory  strongly  secured 


)>^' 


172 


//V  .ih'cr/c  y/:.is 


by  tlionos  of  walrus-skin.  This  cap  has  on  its  upper 
surface  an  oval-shaped  hollow  or  depression  in  which  the 
base  of  the  ivor\-  point  rests.  The  ivor\'  point  is  from 
six  to  eiji^hteeii  inches  in  leut^th;  at  its  base  it  is  about 
lhree-([uartcrs  of  an  inch  b\'  an  inch  and  a  half  in  size, 
atul  tapcr.s  .sli<;htly  to  the  i)oint,  which  is  usiudly  i)ro- 
vided  with  a  leaf-shaped  (not  barbed)  piece  of  iron. 
The  base  is  rounded  in  an  oval  manner  with  a  flat  ed^e, 
and  fits  into  tlie  deprcs.siou  or  .socket  in  the  ivory  cap. 


Sl'KAK-riilNr,  Allour   ONK-hlXllI    A(  lUAI.   Sl/.K. 

The  Disko  .spear.s,  on  the  contrary,  have  the  socket  in 
the  base  of  tlie  ivory  point.  Two  strong  thongs  of  wal- 
rus-hide pass  from  the  jjoint  to  the  cap,  binding  them 
firmh'  together.  When  the  spear  is  thrust  into  an  ani- 
mal, the  point  slips  off  the  shaft,  but  still  remains  con- 
nected Avith  it  by  the  two  thongs  of  skin.  In  this  way 
the  wooden  handle  is  prevented  from  being  broken  by 
an\-  sudden  movement  the  animal  mav  make. 


m 


-Sl'I.AK    luR    .s.MAI.I.   ANIMALS,    ONK-IIAI.I-    ACTUAL  SIZK. 

The  harpoon  is  a  much  more  intricate  weapon.  It  is, 
indeed,  remarkable  how  a  race  so  low  in  the  scale  of 
development  as  the  Eskimos  could  have  devised  such  an 
ingenious  implement.     In  many  respects  it  is  unique. 


'/•///•;  r(>):i(./:-  <>/■■  ////■:  kiie 


173 


atul  sii])nsscs  in  cfticiL'iicy  (.'wn  lliv  sword-l'ishcr's  irnii, 
^vllicll  it  <^rc;Ul\'  ivsciublfs.  In  iti^ciinil\'  and  adajjla- 
hility  for  llii.'  purposes  to  which  it  is  put  it  is,  pciliaps, 
the  Ijcst  tliat  any  savaj^t-  or  even  senii-civili/.fd  race  '-.as 
prochiccd.  It  ha'^  e\idcutly  bctMi  evolved  from  the  spear 
just  described,  l)Ut  is  dcsi;^ned  for  throwinj^,  and  not  for 
spearin,ij.  The  whole  apparatus  consists  of  several  dis- 
tinct parts,  which  nia\-  be  described  se])aratel\-.  The\- 
are  the  luirpoou  itself,  the  harpoon-line,  and  the  float- 


c^== 


^Jrffc  U 


HARPOON   OK  THE   MOST   SORTIIKKN    I.sKIMUS, 

bajT,  corresponding  to  the  wooden  cask  of  the  sword- 
fisher. 

The  harpoon  is  made  up  of  a  shaft  and  point  difTerin;:: 
in  no  material  respect  from  the  spear  already  described. 
The  point  is  .somewhat  rounder  and  attached  to  the 
shaft  by  the  means  already  detailed,  but  is  blunt  at  its 
extremity.  To  it  is  added  an  extra  detachable  tip, 
almost  invariably  shod  with  iron.  The  iron  is  usually 
a  piece  of  knife-blade,  an  old  hoop,  or  other  fragment 
which  has  by  chance  fallen  into  the  pos.session  of  the 
Eskimo.  This  is  ground  with  infinite  labor  to  a  point 
and  firndy  riveted  in  a  slit  in  the  ivory.  The  point  of  the 
liarpoou  fits  into  a  hole  in  the  back  of  the  tip,  the  ixory 
being  cut  away  from  one  of  its  sides  in  such  a  manner 
that  if  the  shaft  is  bent  over  on  one  side,  the  tip  comes 
off,  but  if  pressed  to  the  opposite  side,  the  whole  ivory  tip 
can  be  mauipidated  as  a  single  piece.     To  this  tip  the 


MM 


h" 


174 


LV  .lA'C'/VC  s/-:.is. 


line  is  fastened  throuj^li   tlie  hole  in  the  ivnr^-,  as  shown 
in  ihc  ilhislralion. 

The  line,  which  is  very  slron.q-,  is  aliiiost  alvays  a 
single  ])ieee  of  walrns-hide,  obtained  by  making',  with 
orrat  care,  a  s])iial  cnt  coniinencin,L,r  at  the  neek  and  end- 


]IAKI'iMi\-Tl|s.  C.WV.  ViiKK. 

iiii^  near  the  liind  flippers.  This  strip,  freqnenth-  one 
hundred  feet  in  lenj^th,  is  then  twisted  and  worked  in 
blubber  oil  until  perfectly  pliable.  The  line  is  neatly 
coiled  up  and  laid  on  a  sort  of  bracket  or  framework 
which  is  erected  immediately  in  front  of  the  kajaker,  the 
harpoon  restinj^  in  leather  thon!j;^s  by  its  side.  To  the 
extremity  of  the  line  is  attached  a  float  compo.sed  of  the 
entire  skin  of  a  seal  dressed  and  worked  in  oil.  E\-er\- 
aperture  in  the  hide  is  carefulls'  closed  with  plu,^-s  of 
i\-ory  grooved  so  as  to  hold  the  lijTature  with  which  the 
skin  is  bound,  and  made  absolutely  air-  and  water-ti*;ht. 
One,  liowever,  is  mereh'  stopjied  with  a  wooden  plui,'^,  so 
that  the  baj^-  may  be  readily  inflated.  This  bai,'-  is  placed 
in  a  convenient  position  on  the  deck  of  the  kajak,  and  so 
arran<i;ed  that,  while  safe  from  accidental  disturbance,  it 
can  be  released  instanth'. 

The  shaft  of  the  harpoon  is  more  carefulh-  eonstruc'ed 
than  that  of  the  spear,  and  has  nrar  its  cud  a  must  i  ;,i;e- 


h 


> 

•-I 

> 

n 


IIIE    lOYACE    OF   IIIE  KITE. 


175 


nions  lln"o\viii<;  <k'\icc.     This  consists  of  a  flat  or  nearly 
flat  piece  of  wood  about  two  feet  in  lenj^th,  which  nia\- 


IIARPndN  (il-  •111]-,  DISK"  NATlVI-.s.  .--IIOWINC  WW.    IIIK^WINC  MH  K. 


be  called  a  handle  (ir  throwinc^  piece.  In  the  end  of  this 
is  a  hole,  into  which  fits  a  curved  \)Q^^  of  i\-ory  on  the 
shaft  of  the  harpoon,  while  tlic  other  end  is  so  carved  as 
to  furnish  a  comfortable  s^rasp  fc>r  the  hand. 

In  nsiuij^  this  iui]ilenient  on  a  seal  the  kajaker  <;ras]\s 
the  harpoon  finnl\-  in  his  rit^ht  hand,  releases  his  seal- 
skin float,  and  with  his  left  hand  steadies  the  boat  b\- 
means  of  the  paddle  ]ilaeed  erossv\ise  on  the  surfice  of 
tlie  water.  'I'he  throwing-  ]ieee  is  held  rirnd\-  in  the 
hand,  while  two  finders  onl\-  <;ras])  the  shaft.  Raisin^,'' 
the  arm,  the  weapon  is  hurled  with  remarkable  accuracy 
and  to  a  \ery  .^reat  distance.  The  handle  becomes  de- 
tached and  remains  ^ras])ed,  while  the  shaft  reeei\-es  ihe 
whole  mouKUlu.m  imparted  thronL;h  the  i\or\'  lun  1)\ 
which   it   is  ccMUiei'ted ;  the  speed  attained    is  such    that 


II  \l;iiiiiN-l  II'. 


\ii. 


one  hundred  feet  is  not  an  e\tr;i(>rdinar\-  dislaiKe  at 
which  the  l^skinu)  essaws  the  killini;  nf  a  seal.  The  line 
instanth'  uncoils,  the  air-b.i''-  iollows,  and   the  animal   is 


12 


176 


/.\'  .lA'c/vc  s/-:.is. 


))»b 


almost  iiivarial)ly  secured.  I)iviii<^,  it  seeks  to  escape, 
but  its  first  niovemeiit  dislodj^es  the  sliaft,  wliicli,  witli  its 
ivory  point,  floats  away  inihariued.  The  ICskimo's  fust 
object  is  to  secure  this  precious  portion  of  his  worldly 
possessions.      lie  afterward  follows  the  track  left  by  the 

air-bill:;-,  sure  that  his  prev 
cainiot  escape.  The  seal, 
beiu,i;-  unable  to  drat^  the 
ba<^  beneath  the  water,  is 
almost  certain  to  be  captured, 
provided  the  harpoon-head 
has  been  secureK'  fastened, 
thoujrh  many  thiusts  with 
the  spear  nia\  be  necessar\'  to 
fiualh-  desp/atch  the  animal. 
.An  air-ba;;'  similar  to  the  one 
shown  in  the  illustration  is 
then  attached  to  the  carcass,  and  the  Eskimo  proceeds  to 
liunt  Coy  another  victim. 

The  circumstances  are  quite  different  in  hunting-  the 
walrus,  which,  when  attacked,  is  one  of  the  fiercest  of 
animals.  Instead  of  endea\-oriut;'  to  escape,  it  almost  iu- 
\'arial)ly  turns  on  those  who  dare  to  molest  it.  A  kajak- 
er  never  disturbs  one  excejjt  when  it  is  near  the  ed.^v 
of  an  ice-floe,  for  the  infuriated  animal  would  destro\-  the 
frail  boat  and  certaiid\-  kill  his  assailant  if  the  latter  did 
not  escape  to  a  more  stable  element.  Like  other  marine 
animals,  when  struck  1)\-  a  harpoon  the  walrus  "sonnds" 
or  dives  to  llie  bottom.  The  kajaker  takes  this  opportu- 
nity to  reach  the  llou,  ^alheriuL;  t)U  his  wa)'  the  harpoon- 


AlU   KAii. 


'/•///•:  /7))'. /^■/•;  ()/■'  1 1 II-:  kin:. 


^11 


ts 
y 


shaft  ;inil  air-l)a,<4^.  Arrived  on  llic  flof,  he  phuils  his 
S])'.'ar  finiily  in  llio  ice,  and,  winding  his  line  about  it, 
])roceeds  to  "play"  the  walrns  exactly  as  a  scientific 
fisherman  i)la>s  a  trout.  The  walrus  must  come  u])  to 
breathe,  and  the  untutored  sava.^e  sees  to  it  that  it  can 
onl\-  arise  within  strikin_y^  distance  from  the  ice;  a  saxa^e 
thrust  from  a  s])ear  sends  it  down  a.^ain,  exhausted  by 
another  blecdin*^  wound  and  a  deprixation  of  air.  I-'inally 
it  dies,  cither  from  loss  of  blood  or  drowniii;^,  and  is 
draiLji^ed  (Mit  with  infinite  labor  and  all  the  iL^ratification 
that  a  triumph  of  intellect  o\er  brute  strength  can  alTord, 
added  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  capture  of  a  most  \aluable 
prize  in  a  cotuitr\-  where  blubber,  hide,  ixorx',  meat,  .-ind 
bones  arc  the  only  thin<;s  worth  lixinii;-  for. 

In  endea\-orin,i;  to  obtain  some  of  these  spears  and 
harpoons  the  natives  were  willinj^'  enou!:;h  to  let  us  ha\e 
the  ivor\-  parts,  but  would  not  on  any  account  part  with 
the  wooden  shaft  unless  wood  was  j^iveii  in  return. 
Thex'  jirized  xvood  above  any  other  material,  and  the 
value  of  that  article  xvas  rendered  exident  by  the  fact 
that  manx-  of  the  spear-shafts  xvere  made  up  of  a  number 
of  pieces  ti_nhtlx-  bound  together  to  make  a  single  stick 
of  sulTicient  leuoth. 

.Vmonq;  other  interesting-  articles  ol)tained  fn.m  these 
Cape  York  natives  xvere  a  bone  thimble,  some  childrcirs 
tovs  made  of  ix'orx',  and  tokens  or  charms  xxorn  by  the 
adults.  Tlie  bone  thimble  resembled  our  nielal  ones, 
and  had  evidently  been  made  for  sexvin^  xvitli  ordinary 
steel  needles  xvhich  had  ])robabl\-  been  obtained  from 
.some  visitiiiP'  whaler.      The  native  needle  is  a  thin  flat 


•'^^■■■■•Riiiaiiai 


)»M^ 


178 


/.\-  .IA\/7C  s/:.is. 

T()\S    MADl':   <)1'    l\<»l<\',  ACIIAI,   ^l/K 


si,i-.iii;i:s. 


11  r  MAN    1  naKKS. 


/•^*w-'^*^'?^35l^^-.^^, 


'^v«. 


-i:.\i.. 


lliKi 


.<Jil 


111    \K. 


'/■///•;  I ■() ).!(,/■:  (>r  'iiir:  kin-: 


i7<) 


jM'fcc  ofboiK'  :il)()iU  fotu"  inches  lotii;  and  an  cijq;lilli  of  an 
incli  broad,  with  an  c'\x'  in  llic  end.  In  nsin:^  thcst.',  of 
conrsf,  no  lliiniblc  is   ncctssary,  as  tlK\-  arc  grasped   in 


i;r'/  ~  \w     '  i|;  ••  1:1  11   i;m  \i;i  k. 


tlic   liand   and    tliuist   lliron_L;li    llic  s]<in  instc'ad  of  hianj:; 
pushed  with  the  lin^fr. 

'IMk-  Ions  \wrc  small  ])i(.-c<.s  ol  i\-or\  or  hone,  an  inch 
or  Iwo  lon;^,  cut  lo  rcsLinl)U'  a  seal,  licar,  do^,  or  i\cn  a 
person. 

Another  lo\  w.is  coni])osed  ot  a  Hal  jiieee  of  i\or\' 
al)out  three  iiudies  loni;  with  two  holes  near  the  centre. 
A  leather  cord  w.is  passi.'d  thron.^h 
these  lioles  and  the  ends  t^rasped 
in  each  hand;  on  twisting  the 
cord  and  then  ])nllinj;  its  ends 
the  ])iece  of  i\-or\  was  made  to 
.s])in  around  rapidl\',  first  one  wa\- 
and  tlien  another,  jnst  as  do 
onr  l)o\s  witli  a  round  hox-lid 
and  string-  in  tlu'  iu\-enile  ini- 
])lement  comnionK  known  as  a 
"buzz  saw."  A  more  coni])licated 
to\'  consisted  of  a  piece  ol  ivor\ 
a1)out  four  inches  lon'>   and  an  inch  in  diameter,  with  a 


■|<'S'     I  "K     I  \'V    \Mi|;\l.l. 

(;\Mi  . 


\\ 


mmmmm 


■RIHI 


I  So 


/x  .lA'c'/vc  s/:.is. 


h' 


cavil\-  in  its  upper  cxtrcinily.  To  this  pit'ct-  was  attached, 
1)\-  a  cord,  a  smaller  one,  pointed  atone  end  and  binnt  at 
the  other.  (iraspin<;  the  smaller  piece  in  the  hand,  the 
larj^er  one  was  thrown  in  the  air  and  an  attempt  made 
to  catch  the  pcjint  of  the  pin  in  the  hole  in  the  top. 
This,  of  course,  is  similar  to  our  common  cup-and-ball 


M' 


ill|!l? 


J: 


...  I 


CIIAKMS. 


toy,  the  only  dilTcrencc  1)cin,<:;-  in  havin.ii;-  the  pointed  pin 
instead  of  a  ball. 

The  children  of  the  natives  in  Whale  vSonnd,  further 
north,  also  had  toys  similar  to  those  obtained  by  us  at 


'/•///•;  ro )■.!(,/■:  or  ////•;  a///;. 


iSi 


Cai)c  York.  Soiik'  of  tlu'  adults  woiv  \aii()us  articles 
madf  of  ])()iK' or  ixory  sus|)in(k'(l  1)\  a  cord  around  the 
neck.  One  of  lliese  was  rndeh'  shaped  like  a  man; 
others  consisted  of  the  tt  eth  of  various  animals;  while  one 
of  tile  most  elaborate  was  composed  of  a  piece  of  ivorv 
shaped  as  shown  in  the  aicompanx  int^  illustration,  a 
small  stone,  and  three  lar^e  _^lass  heads.  These  ni'ck- 
laces  were  not  used  simph'  as  ornaments,  hnl  rather  as 
cliarnis,  for  their  owners  appeared  to  value  them  (piile 
hi}^lil\",  and  only  parted  with  them  reluctanth".  The 
Cape  York  natives  e\  idently  see  white  men  at  limes,  as 
more  e\idences  of  iron  and  wood  were  lound  here  than 
further  north,  and  the  possession  of  an  old  and  rnst\'  .^tin, 
stamped  witli  the  name  ol  a  whale-ship  to  which  it  had 
l)elon,t;e(l,  was  found  amon,i;  their  effects  on  shore.  W'e 
o^a\e  tliem  one  of  our  .^nns  and  some  ammunition  in  ex- 
chan.y^e  for  a  kajak,  a  sledge,  and  some  narwhal-horns. 
Needles,  knives,  and  hits  of  iron  were  rapidly  exchanned 
for  ivor\-,  spears,  and  lesser  curios.  Wood  for  makinsj^ 
sledsjes  and   the    framework   of  their  skin   boats  seemed 


even  more  desired  bv  them  than  iron,  and  the  small  fra.i^- 
mcnts  of  wood  of  which  manv  of  their  implements  were 
constructed  showed  how  limited  was  their  supply  of  this 
necessary  article. 

The  last  tiling  obtained  from  the  natives  in  the  way 
of  tradint^  was  a  vouul;-  b'skimo  doi;.  This  was  exidently 
prized  very  highly  by  them,  and  was  only  parted  with 


IS2 


/A'   .IA'i//C  S/:.tS. 


>jM^ 


I  t 


afUT  iiiiK'li  barlciiii!^.  (  )iU'  of  llic  u:ili\L'S  walkrd  out 
(111  iIk'  itx'  to  iIr'  sliip,  lioldiiij;  llu-  piipp)'  in  Iiis  amis, 
IIk'U,  raisiiiL;  il  ii]>,  iiidiralcd  llial  il  was  soiiU'tliiu^  \alM- 
al)k',  and  waiilfd  to  kimw  wlial  wc  wmild  L;i\i.'.  I  .^ni 
one  of  iIk'  sailors  lo  nu^otiak-  for  it,  ami  al  last,  aftt-r  rr- 
ftisiii,!:;  scwral  jiicccs  of  iron,  he  was  ollired  a  lirokeii  oar 
and  iIk-  lid  of  a  soa])-l)o\;  this  indnccd  him  to  part  with 
il,  and  lir  walked  off  in  irininph  with  his  wooden  ae(inisi- 
lioiis,  while  I  retained  possession  of  the  pii]).  ( )n  exaiii- 
ininj4  ni\'  ])rize  I  found  him  to  he  a  dirty  white,  woolly 
little  animal  with  a  blaek  ])aleli  on  the  side  of  his  head; 
he  was  ahont  ten  or  tweKe  inehes  loii.n',  chnl)l)\'  and  fat, 
with  a  ])eaked  nose,  ereet  c'ars,  and  bright  dark  eyt-s. 
lie  had  sharp  little  teeth,  and,  as  nearh'  as  we  oonld 
estimate  his  aue,  was  ahont  eii^lit  or  ten  weeks  old.  lie 
was  stowed  below  with  the  sailors  in  the  forecastle,  and 
tliere  (.■nlertaiiied  and  fed.  His  first  diet  was  condensed 
milk  and  oatmeal.  He  soon  became  ac(|nainted  with  his 
surroniuliniLiS,  and  be^an  excursions  on  his  own  account. 
Directint;  liis  attention  lo  the  steps  leadiniL;-  from  the  fore- 
castle np  to  the  deck,  it  was  not  Ioiil;  before  lie  succeeded 
in  making;-  liis  way  lo  the  less  restricted  and  li<;litcr 
rejj^ioiis  abo\e. 

Arriving'  on  deck,  a  fresh  field  was  open  for  his  iiu'cs- 
ti<4,ation.  The  first  rcsnlls  were  made  known  to  ns  by 
seeing-  him  come  ambling  back  toward  the  after  ])art  of 
the  ship,  where  se\-eral  of  ns  were  silling-,  his  nose  covered 
with  blood  and  hi.s  woolly  bod\-  fnll  of  feathers.  A  search 
was  immediately  instituted  to  discover  wdiat  he  had  been 
at.     The  cause  was  soon  found.     In  the  bow  of  the  ship 


I  i: 


■Jill-,   ro):  !(,/■:  o/-  ////•;  av/a', 


i«3 


were  scon  tlii'  niaii^kd  iciiiaiiis  of  SLwnil  liij^hly-pri/td 
>ln.cMiiKiis  of  birds  ohlaiiiLcl  hy  rrofissor  IIoll.  ( )ii  dis- 
covfiiu;;  his  less,  tlir  piofissor  was  souii. wliat  clia<4riiK'(l, 
l)ul  bore  his  niisfortnin-wilii  i)hiloso])hic  fortitudr.    IIa\'- 


••  Ml'  M  \. 

in<^  oiKX-  tasted  hlood,  Micke\-  (for  so  tlic  Ivskimo  calkd 
him.  and  \\v  did  likfwisri  (.'oiuiinu'd  to  ]>insiK'  his  saii- 
oninary  wa\';  iucU'cd,  liis  tastes  enlarged  to  such  an  t\- 
tcut  tliat  he  soon  ate  not  only  all  the  birds,  ducks,  and 
other  fresh  animal  food  that  he  could  ^et  hold  of,  h '.l 
also  ]iotatnes,  bread,  biscuits,  and,  in  fact,  an\thinL;-  that 
he  could  swallow,  'riiinj^s  that  he  could  not  worr\-  down 
he  contented  himself  with  chewini;.  T'nder  this  list 
came  such  articles  as  boots,  shoes,  clothing-,  ropes,  and 
tvervthinsiclsc  above  decks  that  was  notcarefulhuuarded. 


ni«M  tt 


IHi 


184 


Av  .lA'cr/c  s/:. is 


)\^y 


Tlie  actual  limit  of  his  appt-tite,  like  that  of  the  ICskinio 
of  whom  wc  have  already  spoken,  was  never  definitely 
ascertained.  He  would  eat  and  eat  nntil  apparently 
doible  his  ordinary  size,  and  still  appear  to  be  as  fam- 
ished as  ever.  On  the  voyaj^e  home  Mickey  well  earned 
his  passajj^e.  In  the  words  of  the  famons  Artemus  Ward, 
he  was  an  "  amoosin  cnss. "  His  playfulness  and  good- 
nature made  him  a  favorite  in  both  forecastle  and  cabin. 
The  ship's  cat  and  he  also  became  great  friends,  and 
played  quite  amicably  together.  He  was  a  true  puppy 
through  and  tluough,  and  though  born  and  reared  in  a 
region  of  perpetual  ice  and  snow,  was  just  as  playful  and 
interesting  as  any  in  warmer  lands.  He  increased  rapid- 
ly in  size,  intelligence,  and  activity,  and,  as  the  pet  of 
all,  received  an  amount  of  attention  that  woidd  certainly 
have  been  lacking  had  he  remained  in  his  Arctic  home. 


!\ 


•  t   \ 


V  m 


chai'Ticr  XIII. 

AscnxniNC.  THK  Ikon  Mdintains.  -(  iUi;i:m,.\m>  Cii.AfiKKS. — 
Ac.AiN  ON  OIK  WAV  lIoMi;.— Tiiuorc.ii  Wak-ai'i:  Ciian- 
NHi,. — A    (iLOKiui'S    SiNsirr.— Shakchinc.    i'ok    Coai,    Di: 

POSITS. 

As  time  was  passinjj^  rapidly,  wc  were  anxious  to  start 
-  on  our  way  south,  and  only  awaited  better  weather. 
The  last  day  of  our  stop  at  Cape  York  was  misty  and 
rainy.  Nevertheless,  Professor  Heilprin  determined  to 
utilize  it  in  ascendin<j^  what  are  known  as  the  Iron  Moun- 
tains. On  the  map  they  are  desij^nated  as  mountains, 
thou.o;h  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  thc\-  reaeh  to  an  alti- 
tude of  two  thousand  feet.  They  were  disco\ered  by 
Ross.  He  found  the  natives  in  the  possession  of  rudely- 
fashioned  iron  implements,  some  of  whieh  are  still  i)re- 
servcd  in  the  Hritish  Museum.  From  what  information 
he  could  ,<,'^ather  from  the  natives  Ross  was  convinced 
that  the\'  themselves  had  manufactured  the  iron  from 
masses  found  in  the  mountains  back  from  the  coast.  It 
.seems  hiji^hly  improbable  that  tliis  primitive  race  should 
have  discovered  the  art  of  iron-makinfj,  but,  so  far,  it  has 
been  impossible  to  account  for  the  iron  on  any  other 
theory;  for  there  is  no  known  communication  of  the 
dwellers  in  the  southern  part  of  Cireenland  with  those 
above  Melville  Hay,  and  the  whalers  had  not,  at  the  time 
of  Ross's  visit,  commenced  to  make  the  perilous  voyaj^e 


MaaUiAMtiiMiUuaiUi 


iS6 


/.\'  ARCTIC  SF.AS. 


>i*' 


lo  Lancaster  Sound.  In  view  of  tlic  relic  of  the  Hayes 
expedition  already  referred  to,  which  had  been  preserved 
for  over  thirty  years,  it  did  n.ot  seem  to  us  ini])ossible 
that  the  iron  iniplenients  wliich  Captain  Ross  found  in 
their  possession  were  made  from  fraiL^nients  of  iron  found 
on  wreckage  which  had  floated  to  their  shores  and  been 
l)atlere(l  inlo  shape  by  the  aborij^incs.  On  account  of 
this  uncertainty  we  were  anxious  to  disco\er  whellier 
an\'  trace  of  iron  manufacture  existed,  and  the  inter- 
est was  re(lou1)le(l  wlien,  in  a  skin  tent,  was  found  a 
liea\"\'  sloue  evidenth'  containing  iron.  While  it  prosed 
to  l)e  ou]\-  a  form  of  iron  ])\riles  of  very  ]")0()r  quality,  it 
slill  srenicd  to  indicate  the  presence  of  the  metal,  and 
the  natives,  when  (|ueslioued  as  to  its  ori.t^in,  nudonbl- 
edly  pointed  to  the  hi.^h  laucl  l)ack  from  the  coast.  In 
spile  of  tile  cold,  (lri\inL;  rain  and  sleet-storm,  it  was 
determiued  to  ascend  the  mountains.  The  j^eolo^ist  and 
botanist  with  two  Ivskimos  constituted  the  exi)loriu'j;- 
parly,  the  rest  preferrini;-  the  comfort  of  the  shi]:)\s  cabin 
rather  than  face  the  disa^i^reeable  weather  outside. 

Reachiu!:;  the  shore  by  crossing  over  the  ice,  the  little 
partN'  rapidly  ascended  a  small  knoll  which  marked  a 
spur  of  the  mountain,  and  bes^an  to  climb  over  irre_i,rular 
rocks  covered  with  a  black  and  slippery  lichen.  The 
ascent  soon  bec;une  very  difficult,  j^reat  boulders  block- 
'wv^  the  wa\-  and  compellin.tj  detours  where  the  footinj^ 
was  most  insecure.  The  s<orm  soon  chan.i;ed  to  a  mix- 
ture of  snow  and  sleet  wdiich  raged  with  all  cIk"  fury  of  a 
j^ale  and  at  intervals  obscured  the  surroundings.  Occa- 
sional ;;limpses  (M' the  ship,  lying  peacefully  at  anchor  in 


'I  I  IF.  ro):i(;/-:  of  tuf  kitf. 


187 


the  Utile  cove  f;ir  below,  served  as  a  <;ni(le  to  their  course, 
and  as  greater  heights  were  reached,  the  tops  of  three 
small  islands  which  laid  about  ten  miles  off  the  coast, 
south  of  Cape  York,  came  into  \iew.  Contrarx  to  the 
experience  at  McCorinick  I5a\-,  the  ascent  became  easier 
as  the  t(jp  was  neared,  not  so  much,  however,  from  the 
lessening  of  the  steep  grade  of  tlu-  mountain  as  on  ac- 
count of  the  better  footing.  The  black  lichen  disap- 
peared, as  did  also  the  Uu'ge  glacier-worn  boulders,  and 
in  their  stead  were  hard  granite  rocks  and  liner  ]K-bbles. 
(rradually  almost  all  \egetation  disappeared,  and  soon 
a  comparati\'ely  lex'el  plain  of  stonc-s  and  small  rocks 
was  reached,  eas\-  ])rogress  iIku  bring  made.  The 
height  indicated  bv  ihr  aneroid  barometer  was  about 
se\enteeu  hundred  feet.  Xo  sign  of  iron  or  iron-brar- 
ing  rock  was  obscrxed.  Tlie  stones  were  of  (.wry  \ari- 
et\-,  from  slate  and  sandstone  to  the  hardc>t  Hint  and 
grar.ite,  and  had  ex'idenlly  been  swept  to  their  position 
by  glacier  action  alone.  Xear  th"  crest  was  found  a 
small  cairn.  It  seemed  to  ha\e  been  built  b\  human 
hands,  but  whether  cix'ili/.ed  or  sawige  it  was  impossible 
to  determine.  In  sjtite  of  the  storm,  which  now  had 
redoubled  in  \iolence,  the  two  \\hite  men  pressed  on 
alone,  for  [he  l'",skinu)S  had  refused  to  eoulinue  up  to  the 
crest,  and  had  seemed  to  iudicile  1)\-  their  crie>  ami  mo- 
tions that  it  was  dangerous  lo  do  so.  Tlie\'  ne\er  \-en- 
ture  ii!i.o  the  interior,  nor  e\-en  visit  the  ice  cap,  as  to 
them  it  is  the  abiding-place  of  e\il  spirits  and  demons, 
and  inspires  them  with  terror.  The  ice  cap,  which  did 
not  differ  in  any  particular,  as  fir  as  could  b-   seen,  from 


"!)"<nimi«nipimpii«iimi>P)M0i 


1 88 


/.\'  .lA'c/vc  s/:.  IS. 


)\hi 


tliat  at  McConnick  Ray,  was  soon  readied,  and  from  it 
two  ,L,daciers  were  seen  projeclinjj^  into  tlie  sea. 

The  method  of  the  formation  of  the  (rreenland  glaciers 
was  here  achnirably  ilhistraled.  As  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  to  tlie  north,  the  north-east,  and  north-west,  lay 
an  almost  le\-el  sheet  of  ice,  the  jiroduct  of  centuries  of 
winters.  This  covered  all  the  natural  inequalities  of  the 
.ground,  and  ser\ed  as  the  ,t;reat  source  of  supply  for  all 
the  <;lav"iers  of  the  coast.  It  is  onl\-  where  spurs  of  land 
run  to  the  sea,  similar  to  the  one  that  was  ascended,  that 
the  underl\in<4'  rock  is  visible,  and  even  this  is  partially 
covered  by  the  del)ris  left  1)\-  the  retrcatin,^-  ice  sheet.  In 
reality,  all  (rreenland  ma\-  be  said  to  be  one  "^reat  glacier, 
and  the  tliousands  of  so-called  glaciers,  many  of  which 
are  twenty  or  more  miles  across  their  face,  arc  merely 
])rolongations  to  the  water's  edge  of  this  enormous  mass 
of  ice  and  snow. 

It  was  useless  to  press  onward,  for  the  sleet  obscured 
almost  all  natural  features,  and  a  retreat  was  made  down 
what  had  e\identl\-  been  an  ancient  glacier-bed.  but  was 
now  covered  with  ;i  heav\-  growth  of  moss  and  other  veg- 
etation. Here  the  botanist  found  a  rich  assortment  of 
plants  as  a  reward  for  his  labors  and  the  disagreeable 
weather  that  had  buen  encountered.  Large  patches  of 
red  snow  were  crossed,  and  hnall\-  the  beach  was  attained 
near  the  s])ur,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which  the  ship  was 
anchored.  Here  was  found  an  immense  natural  harbor, 
the  cliffs  rising  perpendicularly  to  a  great  height,  forming 
a  natural  basin  with  a  contracted  entrance.  The  spur  of 
land  was  crossed  witli  some  difiicidt\-,  and  the  ship  reached 


riir:  loy.ic.r.  of  riii-:  kiii:. 


189 


after  nearl\'  four  lionrs  of  couslanl  hut  interestins;  toil. 
Tlic  object  of  llie  trip,  tlie  discovery  of  irou  or  iron-bear- 
iuj^-  rocks,  was  not  accomplished,  hut  a  far  more  satisfac- 
tory kno\vled<^e  of  the  natural  confi<^uration  of  the  <;rouiul 
was  obtained  tlian  w(Mild  ha\e  been  possil)le  by  ol^serv- 
in.o;  it  from  the  decks  of  the  ship;  a  quantity  of  valuable 
material  was  also  <;athercd. 

vSoon  after  the  return  of  the  mountain  party  the  ship 
was  prepared  to  start.  The  fo,t;-,  which  had  been  almost 
constant  duriuo  oursta\-  of  ada\-  and  ;i  half,  at  last  li.^ht- 
ened,  and  now  and  then,  throu<;h  occasional  rifts  in  the 
clouds,  open  water  could  be  seen  to  the  southward.  The 
few  lint;erin<;-  natixes  were  told  to  leave  the  \essel,  and 
it  was  only  as  the  ice-anchors  were  brought  aboard  that 
the  last  one  reluctantly  wended  his  way  over  the  side. 
"  Sar-pook,  sar-pook"'  (j^ood-by,  ^ood-byi,  they  cried, 
as  we  slowly  left  their  dreary  home,  nnsterious  people 
of  a  mysterious  land. 

In  sharp  contrast  l(»  the  lout;  struyj^le  northward 
throu<>h  Melville  Bay  was  our  southern  trip  oxer  the 
same  waters.  On  the  northern  journey  we  had  encoun- 
tered a  \'ast  and  rdmost  continuous  .--lieel  ot  ice,  which 
seemed  as  iiermanent  as  the  eternal  hills.  On  the  south- 
ern trip  we  found  open  water,  with  only  an  occasional 
iceberiL;'  to  remind  us  of  iIk-  threat  floes  and  ice  masses  we 
had  met  with  a  few  weeks  before.  Constant  foj^;  and 
head  winds,  howex'er,  delaxi'd  the  vessel,  and  our  prog- 
ress was  particularly  sloxv.  \\\-  ran  well  out  from  laud, 
but  still  in  xiexv  of  the  hii^her  headlands.  The  Horse's 
Head,  a  most  peculiarlx-  shajied  jjoinl  of  land,  and  Red 


'^mmmm 


m 


190 


/.v  .ik'cnc  s/c.is. 


lii^ 


Head,  another  conspicuous  jioint,  were  the  only  ones 
definitely  recognized  until  Devil's  Thumb  was  reached. 
We  had  hoped  to  land  and  examine  the  latter  curious 
formation,  but  no  attempt  was  made  on  account  of  the 
storm incss  of  the  weather.  Upernavik  was  passed  at 
midni'^ht;  we  did  not  stop,  but  continued  on  our  way 
down   the  coast. 

The  next  da\-  found  the  atmosphere  still  thick,  with 
a  heav\-  sea  runnin*;',  and  the  shi])  was  hove  to  all  the 
afternoon  in  the  neij^hborhood  of  Kaui;tok  Island,  which 
is  west  of  vSwartehnk  Peninsula.  'I'his  ^reat  and  almost 
unknown  body  of  land  lies  north  of  Disko  Island.  The 
impossibilitv  of  making  iiroyress  ai:.;aiust  the  hea\'>'  wind 
and  sea  tem]ited  Ca]itain  Pike  to  enter  a  fiord  on  the 
vSwartehuk  in  search  of  easy  anchora.ne.  The  fiord  is  un- 
marked on  the  map  except  bv  dotted  linrs,  and  it  was 
a.^reed  that  we  would  name  it  "  Pike  h'iord  "  in  honor  of 
our  veteran  commander.  lis  entrance  is  about  two  miles 
wide  and  ])roli.'CU-d  from  tile  sea  1)\'  a  small  island  which 
(li\ides  it  into  two  passaL;es;  tlnomjh  cither  of  these  a 
ship  can  easil\-  enter.  Inside  of  this  natural  harbor  is  a 
wide,  rout^hl\-  irregular  bax ,  protected  on  both  sides  by 
hi,nii  moinitains,  to  whose  bk-ak,  dark  si(Us  the  peninsula 
owes  its  name.  Here  we  tbund  a  ;^oo<l  anchoraLje  in 
tweutx'  fithoms  of  water,  the  bottom  heim;  mud  mixed 
with  sand.  The  wind  still  blew  fierceh',  but  as  the  ship 
was  now  safe,  we  delermiued  to  remain  until  it  moder- 
ated. Some  went  ashore,  and  wire  well  repaid  for  the 
rather  ronL;h  j)assa!L;e  across  tin.'  l)av.  A  ri\'er  wa--  found, 
empt\  Iul;  into  the  upper  end  of  the  I'lord;   here  a  landing 


'  I 


'1111-:  ]\)yAc.E  OF  Till':  kite 


iqr 


was  efTccted  without  difficulty,  and  a  general  exploration 
began. 

Flowers  ^rew  on  ever\-  side  in  the  greatest  abundance 
and  beauty.  There  were  evident  signs  of  game,  and 
hunters  and  naturalists  alike  trudged  off  in  search  of 
specimens.  The  land  rose  rather  abruptly,  and  within 
half  a  mile  of  the  beach  the  river  was  found  to  be  rush- 
ing through  a  narrow,  rugged  gorge,  making  a  series  of 
cascades  of  surpassing  beauty  as  it  leaped  from  rock  to 
rock  and  fell  into  a  jiool  beneath.  Having  seen  at  (lod- 
havn  some  salmon-trout  which  had  been  caught  1)\-  the 
natives,  one  of  our  companions  essa\  ed  fly-fishing.  The 
water  was  icy  cold,  and  no  sign  of  animal  or  vegetable 
life  was  to  be  seen  in  its  depths;  h()we\-er,  he  whip])e(l  the 
stream  industriously  wifh.  various  flies  and  e\en  the  na- 
ti\-e  mosquito,  which  was  there  a  large  and  li\ely  pest. 
but  without  success. 

Farther  up  the  river  again  widened,  and  a  large  plain. 
lying  between  the  frowning  mountains,  apjteared.  Here 
also  a  rich  harvest  of  flowers  was  gathered,  and  cwr\' 
once  in  a  while  a  beautiful  ptarmigan  would  be  slartt.(l. 
Several  of  the  latter  were  shot.  They  seeiut-d  \er\  hold, 
and  did  not  hesitate  to  scold  the  hunter  \ig(irousl\-  for 
intruding  on  their  dom;  lU,  showing  that  they  were  sel- 
dom if  e\cr  disturbed  \^\  man.  A  diligent  but  uua\;iil- 
iug  search  was  made  for  iht-ir  ne.t<,  and  a  lew  co\e\  s  ot 
\oung  birds  were  seen  at  a  distance;  they  werr  lully 
fledged  and  mueli  more  timid  than  the  older  birds.  Two 
of  the  hunters  a>eeiided  the  mouulain.  but  found  nothing 
of  consequence  to  reward  their  toil.    .Mr.  Keneal\-  and  my- 


m 


'W"'WV»i.»!pi»»i)i!U'I^PIf 


192 


AV  .Ih'i'/'/i.'  S/i.lS. 


\W 


I  <  < 


self  went  for  some  (lislaiici-  aloii^  the  sliore,  fiiidins^-  an 
al)an(lone(l  lint  and  j^cttinj;  a  distinet  \ieNv  of  a  <;laeier 
whieli,  as  nsnal,  elosed  the  end  of  the  fiord.  Xo  si,misof 
till'  reeent  \isit  of  Ivskinios  wen.-  present.  A  (kep  i^looni 
]>er\-aded  this  nnfrt'ipiented  spot,  whieh  neither  the  birds 
nor  the  (lowers  relie\ed.  The  hi^h  eliffs  were  almost 
hlaek  in  line,  either  from  the  natural  eolor  of  the  roeks 
or  the  dark  lieheiis,  and  a  few  j;listenin<^-  white  iceherins 
served  only  to  iiiteiisif\-  the  deserted  appearanee  of  the 
land. 

Some  time  (InriniLC  '•l'^'  ni_i;ht  the  weather  moderated, 
and,  making-  our  way  out  of  Pike's  iMord  by  the  sontli- 
ern  eiitranee,  our  course  was  shaped  for  the  Waii^ate 
Channel,  which  was  reached  on  the  morning'  of  the  Sth 
of  An^nsl.  We  entered  this  channel,  instead  of  sailing- 
outside,  in  i)rder  to  examine  the  shores  for  evidences  of 
coal  deposits  which  were  said  to  exist  there.  This  sheet 
of  water  .seixirates  Disko  Island  from  the  mainland,  and 
is  about  .se\en  miles  wide.  At  one  time  it  was  nndonbt- 
edly  a  fiord,  bein^  cut  thron,i;li  to  Disko  Uixy  at  a  later 
jieriod  by  ^lacier  action,  therebN-  forming-  the  largest 
known  island  in  (ireeiiland.  To  the  north  of  the  island, 
and  extending-  from  the  mainland  far  into  the  .sea,  is  a 
neck  of  land  known  as  the  Xoursook  reninsnla.  Uotli 
sides  of  the  Wai^ate  Channel  present  the  same  geograph- 
ical outline,  lu're  and  there  small  fiords  and  indentations 
characterizint;  its  .shores.  Ili.^h  monntains  tower  abo\e 
the  calm  and  jtlaeid  waters,  and  the  silence  is  only 
disturbed  by  falling;  fragments  of  glaciers.  The  ontline 
of  the   monntains  is   much  more  broken  and   irregular 


J 


/■///•;  /())■./(;/■;  o/-   ////■;  a///;. 


'V3 


:•! 

\ 

I 


than  is  thai  of  the  iiiountaiiis  of  inou'  iiotthoni  (iiwu- 
laiul,  and  the  peaks  ami  iiiiniaL-k's  add  j^ivallN'  to  its  ,L;iaii- 
dc'Ur.  Tlic  loft\-  nionnlaii!-lo|)S,  partly  coNi'iid  wilh 
snow,  seen  in  the  heaulifnl,  clear  weather  and  warm  Arc- 
tic snnlij^ht,  more  resend)le(l  Alpine  scenery  than  is  nsnal 
in  the  lMi_i;id  Zoni'.  On  all  sides  the  many  and  heauti- 
fnl  iceI)er.!4S,  nllectin^'  the  rays  of  the  snn,  seemed  to  \  ie 
with  the  nioinitains  in  their  <;()r!:;eons  si)len;lor. 

All  day  lonj;-  the  AV/r  steamed  slowh'  thron^h  this 
enchantinj^  scener\-,  hut  it  was  only  late  at  ni^ht  that 
the  most  beautiful  and  interestin.^  ])henomenon  of  all 
presented  itself  to  view.  At  this  staj^a'  of  our  \()\a,L;e 
the  sun  in  its  declination  had  perceptihh'  diminished  the 
lii^ht  of  nis^ht,  and  though  not  yet  helow  the  horizon, 
still  descended  enou.i;h  to  drop  beh.ind  the  hi.nh  nu)un- 
tains  of  the  Noursook  Peninsula,  thereby  niakiu!:;-  a  most 
glorious  sunset.  The  briiL^ht  ra\s  illumined  the  sky  be- 
hind the  mountains,  forming  a  backj^ronnd  o\  the  most 
brilliant  colorings  and  delicate,  changing  tones.  The 
fading  of  the  sunlight  continued  but  a  short  time,  and 
the  sim,  again  rising  higher,  o'ertopped  the  uu)nntains, 
and  the  dawn  of  the  next  morning  was  upon  us.  The 
gradual  merging  of  the  lo\el\'  sunset  with  the  splendor 
of  the  coming  morn  completed  this  most  charminjL;  (^'( 
da\s  in  Circcnland. 

The  fine  weather,  which  continued  the  next  da\-, 
added  to  our  enjoyment.  We  had  had  almost  a  week 
of  fog  before  reaching;  the  W'aigate,  but  there  were  few 
regrets  now  for  the  delax-,  as,  had  we  experienced  the 
same  weather  inside  the  channel  as  hail  fallen  to  our  lot 


194 


/.\'  .iA'(.//c  s/:.is. 


iiil. 


on  the  open  sea,  the  ])eauly  of  our  snrr()nn(Hnp;s  would 
liave  l)een  sliut  out  from  \ir\v.  The  seenery  of  llie 
mountains,  althoni^Ii  not  so  iniposini:;  as  that  of  the 
previous  da\-,  was  liei^htened  by  the  iuereased  number 
and  maj^nifieeneu  of  tht-  ieeber^s.  As  the  ship  wt)nld 
sh)wly  wend  its  way  throu<;li  the  narrow  ehannels  be- 
tween them  (so  elose  to^etlier  were  they),  we  could  see 
many  miniature  cascades  fallini;  o\er  the  sides.  The 
warm  sun,  melting-  the  snow  on  their  tops,  formed  small 
lakes  or  reservoirs,  the  overflow  of  which,  tricklinj;  down. 


'*^j. 


U'n;i:K(;   in   \v  \ii;a  ri;  i  iianm.i., 


.1 


fell  into  the  sea.  The  course  of  the  AV/r  was  now 
directed  close  alon,t;  the  eastern  shores  of  Disko  Island, 
in  order  that  a  <i"oo(l  view  could  be  had  o(  its  rock\'  sides. 
At  times,  when  its  _^eolo_i>ieal  formation  indicated  the 
])ossible  presence  of  ct)al,  one  of  the  ship's  boats  would 
take  the  ueolouist  ashore  for  a  closer  insi)eclion;  l)Ut  no 


: 


I 


/•///•;  I  ()). !(,/■:  ()/■•  nil',  kiif.. 


195 


cnrboiiiferons  fossils  wciv  fouiKl.  vSooii  llu-  slu)n.'-lim' 
b(.-i;aii  to  assmiR'  a  iiioiv  k\i'l  aspict,  and  a  loiij;-,  slich'- 
ini^f  beach  was  discoxcR'd  di'ad  alirad.  As  the  wakT  was 
noticed  to  l)c'  shoalinj:;-  rapidly  the  ship's  head  was  Inrncd 
out  into  the  channel;  bnt  it  was  too  late:  she  had  hardly 
answered  her  helm  beU  •  we  j^ronnded.  'I'he  en.tjines 
were  at  once  put  hard  astern,  bnt  to  no  jnirpose:  the  k'ilr 
was  last  aj^ronnd.  The  lead-line  slu)we(l  less  than  three 
fathonrs  of  water  and  a  bottom  of  hard  white  sand.  Here 
we  were,  bexond  the  reacli  of  an\'  assistance,  with  so 
little  coal  and  ballast  that  e\en  were  it  possible  to  re- 
ino\e  it,  the  ship  wonld  only  ha\-e  been  lightened  a  few 
inches.  <  )nr  sitnation  was  indeed  a  critical  one,  and 
preparations  were  ininiediateh-  made  to  work  the  \essel 
off.  An  anchor  with  a  \o\\\^  hawser  was  taken  in  a 
whale-boat  and  dropped  some  distance  astern;  the  other 
e.xtrcmity  bein^-  attached  to  the  steam-winch  on  the  ves- 
sel, an  eflbrt  was  made,  by  windint^  np  the  line,  to  ])nll 
the  ship  into  dee]X'r  water,  but  after  se\'eral  futile  at- 
tempts this  was  abandoned.  We  were  trnh'  fast,  and 
our  onl\-  hope  of  escape  la\'  in  the  possibility  that  we 
had  grounded  at  low  water,  and  the  risin<4-  tide  would 
float  us  off.  'IMie  mate  was  sent  ashore  to  ascertain  the 
condition  of  the  tide,  and  he  returned  with  the  grateful 
intormation  that  il  wa>  a  cou]>le  of  feet  below  his^h-water 
mark;  so  we  waited  for  its  risiui^  before  niakinj^'  an\' 
further  ctTorts.  This  was  the  Inst  niislia]i  that  had  oc- 
curred to  us  on  our  return  trip,  aiul  some  of  the  nu)re 
su]>erstitions  sailors  atlribtiltd  it  to  tln'  pres(.-uce  of  the 
h'.skimo  skulls  which   had  been  obtained   further  north. 


I1ULI11IUM*- 


I  ,c> 


AV    .IA'C7/C  s/:.is. 


if' 


lk'> 


Whik'  wailiii)^'-,  we  oljscrwd,  from  ihf  dfck  of  the  ship, 
soiiK.'  siuuUc  arisin.^  from  a  lint  situated  on  a  point  of 
land  opposite  to  where  we  had  j^ruunded.  In  a  few 
minutes  several  natives  were  seen  eomin.u^  down  to  the 
beach,  having  evidently  made  the  smoke  to  attract  our 
attention  and  let  us  know  of  their  ])resencc;  lainiching 
their  kajaks  and  <;ettini;  in,  they  paddled  rapidK'  toward 
us,  and  were  soon  aboard.  We  found  them  to  be  native; 
from  the  settlement  of  (iodiuu  n  who  were  there  on  a 
linntinm'  expedition.  Hy  sif;ns  they  <;ave  us  to  under- 
.stand  that  the  tide  would  soon  rise  and  float  the  sliij); 
this  aided  in  relievinj^-  our  anxiety  somewhat  on  that 
score.  They  o^reedily  de\oured  some  food  that  was  ,i;iven 
them,  and  afterward,  on  beinj^  shown  a  ])iecc  of  coal,  in- 
dicated that  they  knew  what  it  was  and  where  some 
could  be  found.  As  we  had  considerable  time  \et  to 
wait  for  the  rising-  tide,  a  few  of  us  went  ashore,  accom- 
panied by  one  of  the  natives  who  had  si,ii^nified  his  will- 
ingness to  act  as  guide  and  show  us  where  the  dejiosit 
was  located.  Professor  Heilprin  and  the  nalixe  started 
out  to  search  for  it,  while  the  rest  of  us  stayed  along  the 
shore  and  awaited  their  return.  The  land  at  this  point 
rose  gradiudly  from  the  water's  edge  for  a  distance  of 
about  three  miles,  the  beach  being  composed  of  sand 
and  gravel.  As  one  advanced  inland  the  surface  became 
rougher,  being  covered  with  rocks  and  boulders.  We 
found  .some  ptarmigan  which  were  quite  tame  and  ran 
slowly  away  as  they  were  approached.  A  number  of 
foxes  also  were  seen,  but  they  were  more  sh\-,  and  dis- 
appeared in  the  crevices  and  holes  in  the  rocks  as  we  drew 


////;  i()):i(,/:-  ()/■■  ////■:  a///,-. 


197 


iK'ar.  Ill  two  or  three  lioiirs  the  professor  returiud.  stat- 
iii.t;  that  lii>  iiueslioation  had  not  l)een  ver\-  salistactorw 
He  li.id  travelled  two  or  three  miles  inland  and  found 
some  eoal,  hut  it  was  of  so  jx.or  a  eharaeter,  in  Mieli 
small  amounts,  and  so  iuaceessihle  as  to  render  tlie  de- 
posit of  little  value.  Ily  this  time  we  saw  that  the  erew 
had  snceeedid  in  ,t;ettiii-  tlie  vessel  off.  and  she  was 
steam  in--  to  deeper  waters;  so  we  .i^ot  aboard,  and  the 
A'//r  once  more  started  on   her  \ova<'-e. 


.  i 


.'I 


>i»' 


ciiArrisR   xi\'. 

At  (i(ti)ii  \VN  oNcp;  Mmui;.     .Mi;t;:()KITi.s.     'I'm;  I.anhoi'  I)i:s(> 

I.ATloN.     -'rAKINC.  (IN  liAI.I.AM.       I  ).\    11 1 1,  Ol'ICS  SlvA  .       Nli.ll'r 

Hi'.c.iNS.     <)i'i'  Tin;    Coast  ••!■    I.Ar.KAiinK,     Ai'i'itoxi.  iiim; 
St.  jdiiN's.     i)ru   Ri;Li;i'rii)x.     A    Ki;\ii;\\   oi-    iiii;  Tkip. 

STlvXMIXd  aioniid  iIr-  south-eastern  extremity  of 
Disko  Island,  wi-  entered  the  fiord  on  whieh  (iodhavii 
is  situated.  As  we  were  ncarini:^  the  settlement  Inspector 
Andersen  passed  us  in  his  lar^e  boat,  rowed  by  eit^ht  or 
ten  natives.  He  was  leaving  (lodhavn  to  make  his 
annual  visit  to  the  adjacent  settlements,  which  were  under 
liis  supervision.  Ik-  wa\ed  us  a  friendly  farewell,  hut 
<lid  not  stoji,  ami  in  the  earl\-  moruiu!:;-  of  Au.^ust  loth 
the  l\il(-  once  more  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  (iod- 
ha\ii.  Mr.  Carsteus  soon  came  out  to  the  ship  and 
heartih-  welcomed  us.  He  told  us  that  the  lonjj;  south- 
west storm  which  we  had  encountered,  followed  by 
hea\'>'  winds,  had  also  been  e\peri<.nced  at  Citjdhaxu,  and 
that  he  and  his  associates  had  both  feared  that  it  would 
be  too  much  for  the  l\il(\  and  that  lhe\-  would  never  see 
US  a,t;ain. 

The  natives  too  came  aboard,  but,  after  our  experi- 
ences with  the  al)ori^inal  race  further  north,  ihcv  scarceh' 
interested  us,  and  the  few  tritles  the\-  had  t)  sell  bronyjht 
them  but  little  return. 


1 1 

I  I 


rill.   /VM',  \i.i:  ('/•  ////■;  a///;. 


'W 


Tlir  Kill  was  tnn'id  to  takr  ou  ballast  at  this  port,  lor 
the- c'oiisiniiptioii  ol  I'oal  and  llic  it.iiio\al  ol  llif  i  lllcts  ot' 
the  I'laiN'  i>aily  had  so  'iyJitiiRil  lur  as  to  riiuki  luT 
ahnost  iintnaiiaj^cahk'  in  a  laad  wind  and  sta.  A  iiniii- 
l)i.-r  of  the-  iiati\is  wltl-  t.ii.L;a,m(l  to  i,;atlKT  l)alla>l  lor  lis, 
and  it  was  I'vidt'iil,  iVoiii  ihr  kisuiily  iiianiur  in  whic-h 
i1k\-  sit  aI)out  it,  that  wc  would  ha\c'  lo  ii'iuaiii  at  Uasl 
two  da\s  in  ])oil,  This  iuas  was,  Iiowcait,  wikonu'  to 
all,  lor  altiT  our  lout;  isolation  lAiii  (iodhavn  looked  likt- 
hoiiK',  and  wt.'  were  t'onleiil  to  mjoy  the  ]ika:-aiU  (.'oni- 
panioiishi])  oi"  the  offieials.  Th'-  naturalists  were  soon  on 
their  collecting  lours,  some  to  the  Rid  I\i\er,  and  some 
to  the  island  of  ("iodha\n.  Professor  1  leilprin,  accom- 
panied  !)}•    Mr.    Ashhuisl,  nired   a   lar.^e   nati\e  boat  or 


t\ll  \l<    ilR    \Vi  'M  \N  ^    lii  i.\  r. 


umiak,  with   its  crew  of  se\in  I'.skimos,  and  started   for 
I'xilak,  a  desolate  piece  of  land  some   twent\-loiir  miles 


2<)<) 


/.y    .  I AU    '.'■/(■  S/:'   IS. 


)i' 


rmiii  ( ii)(llia\n,  wluTc  was  said  lo  he  {hv  remains  of  a 
iiK-U'inik'.  This  s(i-(.-all(.-(l  iiutcoritc  consists  of  an  a^i^ie- 
!:^alinii  1)1"  iiuiiR-ious  in;is>(.>  of  iiearis-  pure  iroi;  which  are 
found  inih(.-dded  in  the  hasallic  rock.  Thi.'  larj^ot  Irai;- 
nunl  was  ri-nio\ad  se\-eral  \ears  a^o  hy  a  special  expedi- 
tion sent  out  fortlie  pin'])ose  1)\- the  Swed.ish  ^<i\-ernnii.iit. 
'riie  wl)ole  liad  heen  esliniateil  lo  ]ia\e  wei.^Iied  p>.  Joo 
pounds.  vSeseral  smaller  fragments  were  known  to  exist, 
and  it  was  thotiuhl  hit;hl\'  desirahle  to  recowr  >onie  of 
these   if  it    was  ])ossil)le  to  do  so. 

The  jonrueN'  was  lon^  and  tcdions,  for  the  rndcK -con- 
structed nmiak  was  slow,  and,  in  si)ite  of  llie  hard  and 
stead\'  work  of  the  natives,  it  was  ei^ht  hours  hefore  the 
])la'-e  was  reached.  Here  was  found  a  lar'_^e  meteoric 
Ira^UKUl  ( now  in  the  Museum  of  the  Academx  oj"  N'atural 
Sciences),  and  a  little  searchin;^-  disco\erevl  s(.'\  eral  suialk'r 
stoues.  The\  were  all  irregularly-rounded  mas^i'-;  ha\'- 
iui^  marks  of  I'usion  on  their  exterior,  and  were  com])osed 
alnu)St  entircK  of  natiw  iron.  These  facts  seemed  to 
])oint  directl\'  lo  a  ctdotial  origin.  Xewrlheless,  tjic 
^eolo^ist  found  reason  to  think  that  l]ie\-  were  not  true 
meteorite'-,  but  wei'e  terrestrial  formations  whii'li  had 
heen  thrown  or  carried  to  the  location  in  which  the\' 
were  found  hy  N'olcanic  or  other  pluaiouiena.  In  anv 
case,  the  (lisco\-er\-  was  a  mo>l  important  one,  and  the 
specimens  wire  regarded  as  hein^  amon:^  the  mo^i  inter- 
(.■stiu',;  and  wilnahle  ol'  all  i;alhered  in  the  course  iif  the 
\-o\  aL;c. 

The  e\'iaiin^'  shades  wi.re  hecomini^  nioi'e  t\  idenl 
now,  a.;  1   we   ''reeti'd    with    deli''hl    the   first   star  wliich 


4 
1' 


A    Ml     "1 


,,KI  1  M   \M'    -I   1  "^t  1-V. 


M    K"    11    \"-l' 


It" 


THE    VOYAC.F.    OF   THE   KITE. 


203 


we  had  seen  for  more  than  a  iiioutli;  it  was  shiiiiiis^^  over 
the  hi^h  hills  of  Disko.  The  new  moon  also  was  faintly 
visible  in  the  elear  ex'eninj,'-  sky.  We  were  glad  to  light 
the  lamps  again  in  the  dim  little  cabin,  and  here  we 
gathered  about  Mr.  Carstcns  while  he  imparted  to  ns  his 
knowledge  of  Greenland  history  and  cnstoms.  His  fnnd 
of  information  was  very  extensive,  and  he  was  able  to  in- 
form ns  on  many  points  not  referred  to  in  the  books. 
Mncli  of  what  was  related  has  already  been  told  in  de- 
scribing the  social  life  and  folk-lore  of  Greenland.  He 
added,  however,  many  points  in  relation  to  the  histor\'  t)f 
Greenland  which  nia\-  briefly  be  reconnted  here. 

Greenland,  "The  Land  of  Desolation,"  as  it  was  well 
called  by  Hayes,  was  discovered  by  Ivric  the  Red.  l-'.ric 
was  a  tnrbnlent  nobleman  who,  banished  trom  I)L-nmark, 
and  later  from  Iceland,  sailed  westward  to  the  coast  of 
Crreenland,  to  which  he  gave  its  somewhat  dece])ti\e 
title.  It  is  related  in  the  old  chronicles  that  he  gave  it 
that  name  with  the  direct  intention  to  dccei\-e  and  de- 
frand,  hoping  that  "a  fair  name"  might  tempt  colonists 
to  settle.  The  voyagers  all  regretted  that  the  exiL^encies 
of  the  trip  ]M-e\ented  om-  stopping  at  Friedricksliaab, 
where  the  remains  of  old  luic's  bnildings  are  slill  stand- 
ing, after  a  lapse  of  o\er  nine  hnndred  \ears;  for  the  \oy- 
age  of  Ivric  was  made  abont  the  )car  9S6.  The  story  of 
the  settlement  l;e  made  has  often  been  told.  The  ])oor 
people  whom  he  persnaded  to  settle  in  his  "fair  land"' 
lived  for  a  time  jjeacifnlh  and  with  some  comtoit:  but 
there  were  man\-  drawbacks  to  their  welfare.  They  had 
to  dejiend    alnio>t  entirely   for    su])plies  of  certain    ma- 


1^ 


mmmmmmmmm 


204 


/.\'  .lA'L'/vc  s/:.is. 


)\h 


ii 


U'lials,  notably  wood  and  iron,  on  Nfsscls  which,  for  sev- 
eral \cars,  came  from  Iceland.  On  one  occasion,  one  or 
two  years  havin_ti^  passed  without  supplies  Ix-ini;  sent,  the 
relief  vessel  found  only  their  bones.  They  were  the  first 
victims  of  the  ICskimos,  and,  as  far  as  known,  the  last. 
What  had  happened  was  luiknown,  but  it  is  supposed 
tliat  tlie  .Skrallers  or  Howlers,  as  the  natives  were  called, 
from  the  horrid  noise  they  made  at  night,  had  slaughtered 
them  after  their  numbers  liad  been  reduced  1)\-  famine. 
The  land,  after  this,  la>-  idle  and  unoccupied  by  white  in- 
liabitants  for  hundreds  of  years,  but  at  last  was  settled 
again,  originally  as  a  penal  colony,  and  later,  since  the 
Near  1774,  as  the  personal  property  of  the  Crown  of  Den- 
mark. This  it  still  is,  and  "trespassers  are  forbidden." 
We  learned  this  after  we  had  committed  the  crime  of  land- 
ing on  tlie  northern  trip,  Ijut  as  the  ofience  was  only  a 
\enial  one,  no  punishment  was  inflicted  on  us.  Denmark 
claims  jurisdiction  over  (ireenland  up  to  the  73d  parallel 
of  north  latitude,  .\bove  that  it  is  no  man's  land,  and, 
indeed,  any  nation  might  easil\-  gain  Denmark's  consent 
to  an  abdication  of  its  rights  to  southern  (ireenland,  for 
we  were  informed,  on  highh'  trustworth\-  authority,  that 
it  has  ceased  to  be  a  source  of  income,  and  were  it  not  for 
the  fostering  care  which  Denmark  has  exercised  o\-er  the 
natives  of  ( 'ireenland,  there  is  little  doubt  but  the\-  would 
soon  bec(Mne  extinct.  The  I'<skimo  po])ulation  last  \ear 
numbered  ten  thousand  and  thirt\\  a  decrease  of  seven 
from  tlie  Near  before;  antl  a  steady  dimiinition  continues 
in  spite  of  the  s\stematie  care  and  support  Nvhich  the 
go\ernment  so  genc'roush'  extends  to  them.      It  is  prob- 


'II Hi  \OY.\i.i-:  ()/■-  11  IE  kill']. 


20: 


nbic  that  there  arc  but  few  Ivskiinos  north  of  MeUille 
I5ay.  Captain  Ross  nian\-  years  ai;()  calcuhited  llieir 
number  at  hut  two  hundrcth  and  the  estimates  of  Arctic 
voyaj^crs  since  liis  time  have  not  exceeded  it.  We  saw- 
not  o\er  one  liun(hed  at  botli  Whale  vSoiiud  and  Cape 
York,  and  but  one  other  native  settlement  is  known. 
This  is  a  small  village  called  h'tali,  situated  on  Hartstene 
IJax',  about  one  decree  further  north  than  Whale  Sound. 
This  place  we  did  not  visit.  It  was  here  that  IIa\es  es- 
tablished his  winter  (puirters  in  iSfx).  It  has  but  few  iu- 
liabitants,  and  c\en  if  the\-  were  added  to  those  that  we 
saw,  the  total  number  woidd  still  fall  far  short  of  the  es- 
timate of  Captain  Ross,  (ircenland  is  under  the  control 
of  a  government  ])oard  in  Denmark  known  as  the  Kones;- 
liL;e  Gronlandske  Handle.  It  is  divided  into  two  in- 
spectorates, north  and  south,  divided  by  the  parallel  of 
67°  40'  north  latitude.  The  inspector  of  the  former  re- 
sides in  (lodhavn,  and  the  latter  in  (iodhaab.  They  are 
responsible  to  the  home  government.  The  inspectorates 
are  divided  into  a  number  of  districts,  each  having  its 
own  governor  and  assistant  goxernor,  wdio  are  responsible 
to  the  inspector  in  whose  jurisdiction  the  district  is  situ- 
ated. In  the  Xorthern  Cireenland  districts,  besides  the 
inspector,  governor,  and  assistant  go\eruor,  there  are  no 
white  people  except  a  doctor  who  lixes  at  Jakobsha\  u. 
In  Southern  Greenland  there  are  two  nuire  physicians. 
one  living  at  (xodthaab,  and  the  other  at  Julianshaab. 
After  five  years  of  dul\  the\-  are  allowed  to  enter  the 
roval   ser\ice   in    Dtiiniark  as  district   physicians. 

All   this  and   much  more  Mr.  Carsteus  narrated  to  us 


^^immmm 


206 


/.V  ARCriC  SEAS. 


|l>i 


as  we  chatted  together  in  the  little  cabin  of  the  Kite.  In 
our  turn,  we  told  him  of  the  abori(jinal  inhabitants  at 
Cape  York,  whom  he  had  never  seen.  We  asked  liim 
whether  there  were  an\-  relics  left  near  Disko  of  the 
primeval  Eskimos.  He  told  ns  of  an  old  <jraveyard 
situated  across  the  ba\-  from  Godhavn,  which  was  long 
abandoned,  but  where  he  said  aboriginal  tombs,  exactly 
as  we  had  described,  still  existed  The  idea  of  discover- 
ing other  relics  immediately  inspired  me,  and,  launch- 
ing a  boat,  with  only  Mr.  Kenealy  as  my  companion,  I 
rowed  across  the  narrow  bay  in  the  midnight  twilight 
lo  the  locality  which  Mr.  Carstens  had  indicated.  With 
oome  little  difficulty  the  place  was  at  last  found,  and 
tomb  after  tor.'  -opened,  with  the  result  of  unearthing 
(piite  a  coUen  <  skulls.  Xo  votive  offerings  such  as 
we  had  found  at  Whale  vSomid  were  discovered,  though 
earnesU}'  .'.ic  ^iit  '")r.  '''*liis  was  accounted  for,  perhaps, 
l)v  the  fact  tliat  the  tomb.;  were  ancient  and  their  con- 
tents might  have  decayed  away.  Gathering  together  a 
number  of  skulls,  we  returned  to  the  ship  in  the  early 
morning,  just  before  the  return  of  Professor  Heilprin  and 
Mr.  Ashhurst  from  their  long  and  tiresome  journey  uf 
.some  sixteen  hours'  duration. 

All  liands  were  wear\-  when,  at  about  3  A.  M.,  we  went 
to  bed,  and  it  was  not  until  late  the  next  day  that  the 
customar\'  activity  prevailed  among  us.  The  work  of 
loading  ballast  for  the  ship  still  continued,  but  in  the 
most  leisurely  fashion.  A  boat  being  .sent  to  the  beach, 
the  natives  would  gather  blocks  of  stt)ne,  carrying  them 
one  by  one  until  a  load  was  procured.     These  in  turn 


l!l! 


77//;  r<u:i(,/:  or  ////■:  a///;. 


207 


nt 
he 
(,f 
Ihe 
:h. 
.'in 
liru 


were  jiassfd  up  the  shii)"s  side  and  dropped  carerulh'  inlo 
the  hold. 

It  was  onr  k\st  da\-  at  (iodhavn,  and,  as  it  tnrned  ont, 
also  onr  last  in  (Greenland,  and  all  were  anxious  to  make 
the  most  of  it.  I  saw  no  opiwrtnnity  to  add  t(j  the  col- 
lection alrea<l\'  made,  so  a  eonsiderali(jn  of  a  more  prae- 
tical  nature  th.an  that  which  inspired  the  others  nio\ed 
me.  I  had  ohserxed  that  the  breeches  made  tor  me  at 
Cape  York  by  the  I{skimo  women  were  not  ])liabk\  like 
those  worn  by  m\-  comrades,  which  had  Ixl-u  made  at 
Godhavn.  They  were  stiff  and  nn.^aiuK-,  and,  when  not 
in  use,  like  stovepijK'S  in  ri_^i(lit\-.  .\  conversation  with 
one  of  the  Kskimos  who  s])oke  a  little  broken  bhi^lish, 
and  the  translation  of  whose  inipronounceable  name  was 
Raven,  revealed  to  me  the  cause  :  they  had  not  been 
chewed.  It  appears  that  it  is  necessary  to  carefulh  chew 
the  seal-skin  to  render  it  snfficieiith-  jiliable.  This  was 
nnwelcomc  news,  for  I  knew  of  no  one  who  would  care 
to  chew  the  <^arments,  filled  as  lhe\'  were  with  rancid  oil. 
But  Mr.  Raven,  in  consideration  of  a  certain  amount  of 


)lnsj'  tobacco,   kindh-  offered   to  manat'e   all   that,    ami 


1 

cscortinj^  me  to  the  house,  introduced  Mrs.  Ra\en  to  me, 

with   the  brief  direction  to  her  (at  least  so  I  suppose)  to 

chew  the  garments  thoronyhly.     I  remained  to  witness 

the  operation,  which   she  bei^an  with  that  clu'erful  alac- 

ril\"  that  characterizes  the  Kskimo  woman  when  directed 

b\-  her  lord,  but  the  si^s^ht  was  not    pleasant,  and    I    left 

the   (garments   to  her   tender  care.      I  must   confess  that 

she  did   the  work   in   the  most  skilful  manner,  and  also 

added  a  couple  of  buttons,  su  that  I  was  no  lonji;er  com- 

14 


» 


mmm 


208 


AV  .lA'C/VC  S/:.  IS. 


)l" 


])elle(l  to  tic  them  t()<retlR'r  with  thoii_[>^5-..  Mr.  Raven 
broit<.^ht  iheiii  back  in  the  afternoon  in  a  most  satisfae- 
tor\-  condition,  aiul  I  ])ai(l  liim  the  tobacco  aj^reed  npon. 

I  sn.uj^ested  that  liis  wife  slionld  have  sometliinj^-  to  com- 
])ensate  her,  instead  of  payin.i;  liim,  bnt  lie  <Hd  not  seem 
to  understand  me,  and  the  sniyect  was  (hopped. 

At  I  A.  M.  on  An,t,Mist  12th  steam  was  made,  and  we 
left  (xodhavn.  All  were  on  deck,  and  we  took  a  last  look 
at  the  place  which  will  always  remain  the  most  pleasant 
in  onr  memories  of  Greenland.  A  solitar\-  star  shone 
bri}.;htly  over  the  villaj^e.  \\\  its  brilliancy  we  knew  it 
to  be  the  jilanet  Jnjnter,  as  the  nii^ht  was  not  yet  dark 
enon^h  to  show  stars  of  lesser  maj^nitnde.  A  few  min- 
utes sufficed  to  take  us  (.)nt  of  the  harbor  and  place  us 
once  more  on  the  open  sea.  The  weather  continued  ^ood 
all  day,  and  we  made  an  excellent  run.  Karly  the  ne.xt 
day  a  stront^  wind  sprauy^  up,  which  sot)n  developed  into 

II  jj^ale.  The  sea  ran  mountains  hi,u[h,  and  our  ship  was 
to.ssed  about  so  violently  as  to  be  ahnost  unmana<^eable. 
It  sent  all  bnt  those  who  w'l'c  actually  employed  in 
W'orkin<;-  the  vessel  to  their  berths  for  safety.  It  was 
ahnost  impossible  to  move  around  without  }j;^reat  dan,u;-er, 
and  we  all  kept  pretty  quiet  as  lon*^  as  the  blow  lasted. 
After  some  hours  the  wind  bc^an  to  subside,  leaving-  a 
heavy  swell  which  pitched  tlie  vessel  about  as  if  it  were 
a  chi]).  The  weather  was  ha/.\-,  with  rain  at  intervals, 
which,  much  to  the  relief  of  .all,  gradually  calmed  the 
sea.  The  chief  en<rincer,  ]\Ir.  Jardine,  reported  that  ouh- 
enou.^h  coal  remained  to  take  us  direct  to  vSt.  John's,  so 
we  were  forced  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  visiting  several 


Till-:  ro): !(,/■:  <>/■■  ////•;  a///:. 


209 


points  in  vSoutli  (imnland,  as  had  been  onr  (k'sirc.  TIic 
WfalliLT  now  btcana-  clear  and  hriL^lil,  willi  a  fair  wind. 
Karl\-  in  tlic  niornini;  a  l)ri^  was  sij^liled  sailiiis;  sontli, 
al)onl  ten  miles  to  the  westward  of  ns.  All  went  on  deck 
to  ^et  a  look  at  her.  It  was  leniarkabk-  that  what  in 
other  waters  wonld  he  snch  a  triflinj^  ewnt,  in  these  nn- 
travelled  seas  commanded  all  onr  attention.  I'\)r  nearlv 
three  months,  with  the  exception  of  those  at  (iodliavn  and 
l'|ierna\ik,  we  had  not  seen  a  sliip  nor  any  si,L;n  of  civil- 
ized man.  The  stranger  was  a  trim  little  craft,  not  far 
enongli  sonth  to  Ix-long  to  tlic  line  whicli  carries  crxolite 
from  Ivigtnk  to  Philade]])liia,  and  too  far  nortli  to  be  in 
the  Danisli  trade  witli  tlie  Xortli  drcenland  settlements. 
All  these  latter  had  left  (iodha\n,  on  their  voyage  to 
Denmark,  long  ])efore  onr  own  departnre.  We  did  not 
f.xpect  to  meet  an\-  vessels,  l)ecanse  it  was  so  h\W  in  the 
season  that  sailing  shi])s  wonld  liardly  ventnre  so  far 
north  for  fear  of  being  canglit  in  the  ice.  We  had  our- 
selves taken  tlie  kist  mail  from  the  North  (irecnland  set- 
tlements, the  governor  bringing  it  oiT  to  ns  the  night  we 
left  (lodhavn,  and  stating  that  it  was  the  onl\'  ojijiortn- 
nit\'  he  wonld  have  of  sending  any  nntil  next  season. 
The  brig  was  too  far  olT  onr  conrse  to  speak  her,  and 
as  it  wonld  ha\e  taken  too  nuich  of  onr  now  \alnable 
coal  to  ha\x'  sailed  within  comnmnicating  distance,  .she 
remained  as  mysterions  as  whi-n  first  seen,  and  the  canse 
of  the  only  excitement  of  the  day. 

On  vSnnda\',  .Angnst  i6ih,  the  wind  was  dead  ahead, 
and  stormy  enongh  to  canse  considerable  sea,  which  made 
the  distance   rnn   mnch    less   than  on  the  previous  day. 


\r 


2IO 


/.\'  ./A'(7/C  s/:.is. 


II" 


I;!!' 


I: 


Dai'kiK'SS  al  this  liiiU'  I)c'i;aii  about  9  i'.  M.,  ami  tlu-  li_L;lits 
in  our  cabin  and  about  the  ship  wvw  now  nsrd.  alUr 
nian\-  weeks  oi"  continuous  (la\  lii^ht.  \\\'  had  had  a  >i,L^hl 
of  llic  moon  for  the  past  three  niylits,  and  the  numerous 
stars  visil)li'  in  tlte  hea\-ens  <^;i\v  the  sky  more-  the  ap- 
])earaiice  ot'  that  of  the  'iVanperate  Zone.  Tlie  North 
Star  was  \ery  l)rij;ht,  and  seemed  almost  directlv  o\er- 
liead.  The  stron,^-  head  wind  and  lii-^h  seas  continued 
until  niorniu};,  and  it  was  necessary  to  i)ut  the  ship  three 
points  offlier  course  to  case  her  up.  Twenty-four  hours 
later  the  sun  was  a>;ain  shininj.,'-,  and  made  exerythinij;- 
look  l)ri,t;hter.  The  .sea  had  ^onedown,  and  early  in  the 
eveninj4'  the  moon,  which  was  now  full,  was  seen  in  all 
its  beauty.  At  10  l*.  m.  we  were  treated  to  the  niai^iiif- 
icent  spectacle  of  the  aurora  borealis  as  seen  in  these 
Northern  waters.  Xo  conception  of  its  brilliancy  can  be 
had  at  home,  and  it  will  lie  remembered  as  one  of  the 
man\'  strau.tre  sights  this  interestin*^  x-ovai^-e  .ifforded 
us.  The  next  dav  the  weather  was  a,L,^ain  fine,  and  the 
sea  as  still  and  calm  as  the  ])roverl)ial  mill-pond.  .\ 
lii^ht  favorable  wind  came  np  toward  nii^^ht,  when  all 
sails  were  set  and  our  ship  sped  alonir  at  a  more  rapid 
pace  than  for  .some  time.  About  S  p.  y\.  a  lar^e  steamer 
in  the  east  was  seen  to  be  bearin*;-  down  u])on  us.  As  it 
evidently  wished  tosjiea.k  us,  the  AVA  wasstopjied  and  its 
approach  awaited.  It  proved  to  be  tin.'  CaiiJuhw  of  vScot- 
land,  and  we  found  that  they  wished  to  know  the  course 
to  Indian  Harbor,  Labrador.  This  inform.ation  was 
t^ivcn  them  b\-  Ca])tain  Pike,  and  after  e.\clian<;ini^  .sa- 
lutes we  renewed  our  respective  courses. 


/•///■;  ro):  !(,/■;  o/-  riii:  kiii-:. 


21  I 


( )ii  AiiL^usl  jdtli  \v(.'  rcMflud  I.ahradoi'  and  skirted  tlu- 
coast.  The  land  was  lii.L^li,  rocky,  and  in  ])kic(.'S  appeared 
j^reeii  tVoiii  tile  preseiiei'  of  \-e^etation.  It  looked  more 
IiospitabU'  than  tlu'  more  harri'ii  shores  of  (ireeiilaiid. 
Iliiiidreds  of  fishiiij^'-lmats  wire  now  seen  ever\\vhcre, 
and  si,niis  of  ei\ili/ed  man  greeted  ns  (jnee  more.  Lar^^e 
ii'iher^s  were  still  floalin,t;  lu're  and  there,  the  (jnly 
reinincU'r  of  our  'ale  trials  and  dingers.  The  steani- 
.ship  l\vitli(i\  of  »St.  John's,  was  si)okcn.  This  vessel 
was  interestintj;-  as  bein^-  the  one  that  had  taken  Dr. 
Haves'  expedition  as  far  as  Melville  I'lay,  years  aj^o.  It 
had  been  rebnilt  since  then,  and  was  ([nite  a  trim  little 
craft.  On  the  nii^ht  of  .Xn^nst  2f)th  we  were  al)cain  of 
Helle  Isle.  On  the  following  day  head  winds  were  en- 
coti.itered,  with  rain.  The  sliip,  beinj^^  so  lij^htened,  was 
no\\'  (piite  hard  to  drive  lhroni;h  the  hea\y  seas,  and  the 
pitch inj^-  and  tossinj.^  conunenced  once  more. 

On  .Xn^nst  22(1  the  snn,  shinin!:;-  bri<4htly,  showed  the 
jjrecn  and  inctnrescpie  shores  of  Xewfonndland.  The 
transi'ormation  from  the  ic\'  Xorth  to  a  land  a<;ain  inhab- 
ited by  onr  own  kind  was  indeed  striking;',  and  heart- 
il\  ap])recialed  b\-  all.  The  sea  was  (piiet,  and  we  soon 
arrixed  in  si^lit  of  the  harbor  of  St.  John's,  and  were 
safe  once   more. 

It  was  on  a  beantifnl  vSunda\-  morning-  that  the  vo\-a,s.^e 
of  the  Kite  came  to  an  end.  All  hands  were  bnsy  mak- 
ing themselves  ])resentable  for  cixilized  society,  and  the 
transformations  that  were  accomjilislu'd  by  some  of  the 
members  were  Irnlv  astonisliini;-.  Al)ont  9  o'clock  we 
came  in  si*;ht  of  the  entrance  to  the  h.irbor  of  vSt.  John'-. 


'.!! 


212 


/A'  ,  IA'(//(-  s/:.is. 


)l»' 


i  )iir  ;ini\;il  was  .si^n.ilKd  al  oiut  ft, tin  the  ti>[)  of  the 
i^iral  dill"  wliicli  marks  oiU'  sidr  of  [\\v  tiiiraiUT.  lis 
orc'st  was  siiriiioinilid  1)\-  a  lot  I  and  sij^nai  station,  and 
tidiii  it  sii^iial  ilai_;s  \\\vr  llowii  in  siu-c-(.s>ioii,  uliicli,  hrinj^ 
intiTi)HtL'd,  nuaut  "A  stcanirr  loniiii"'  in;"  "  I'.owrin'r 
ItrotluTs;"  "  ihr  A'i/i  :"  \vl  wvw  \v\)nv[vA.  'riii.'Sf  sijj;'- 
nals  an.'  |tlainl\'  x-isihli-  at  St.  jolin's,  and  the  citw  wi.Te 
()\erjo\  1(1  that  their  familits  wonld  soon  know  of  tiieir 
safe  return  from    {\\v  Aretie  rei^ions. 

It  look  nearly  an  hour  to  re  leli  doek,  for  thr  tntranee 
to  St.  John's  is  narrow  and  tortuous.  Thron^h  lofty 
cliffs  the  passage  wemls  its  \va\-  to  a  spIiMidid  harbor, 
si'eond  to  noni  in  tlu'  world,  and  it  is  not  until  the  last 
bend  is  passed  that  one  sees  aii\'  si^iis  of  a  larm'  eit\  or 
e\t.'n  eixilizatiou.  iMually,  l)nildin|,4S  apprared,  and  in 
a  niouuait  the  whok'  eily,  with  its  bloeks  of  Iioum-s 
ranjj^ed  in  terraet-s  of  streets,  was  in  full  \iew.  Tlu'  nai- 
row  ehannrl  \vi(K  utd  to  a  ^reat  ba\',  on  tln'  shores 
of  which  laid  the  town.  To  the  rii;ht  was  .Sii^ual  Hill, 
from  which  thr  notii-e  of  our  arri\  al  had  Ix/en  sent;  to 
the  left  rose  another  .^reat  ]»rouiontory,  crowned  b\  the 
arsenal  and  fort  with  whieli  ]''.unland  juotects  this  import- 
ant ])ort  ;  and,  immediateh'  in  front,  the  cit\-  of  vSt.  John's, 
with  the  hi^h  catlu'dial  towxrs  dominating  the  town. 

Our  sii^nal  had  (.\identl\  bcrn  seen,  for  the  towns- 
people Hocked  to  the  wharf,  and,  brforc-  the  ship  could  be 
made  fast,  oxerwhelmed  us  with  incpiirivs;  but,  bL-insj;- 
tired  of  sea-lifi.',  we  wrrt'  anxious  oul\  lor  rest  and  a  com- 
fortable hotel.  This  was  found  without  diflicu]t\-  on  the 
main   business   street  of  the   cil\-,  after   sendiu''-  awa\-  a 


I 


IIS- 

nn- 
tlK- 
a 


V. 


r 


'J 


C 

T 


I 


i;    I 


r  ■ 


hH. 


'{; 


////■;  r<> ).!(,/■:  or  ////■:  a///;. 


213 


few  U'lcj^raiiis  to  assure   tlic   folks  al   lioine  of  our  safe 
arrival. 

We  were  eonipelled  to  reinaiii  at  vSt.  John's  for  five 
<lays,  as  \u>  steamer  left  until  the  followini^  iMidax',  when 
the  .Vnrtf  So-O'<r//,  of  the  Allan  Line,  departecl  for  Balti- 
more, The  time  was  spent  very  plcasanth',  however, 
for  we  fonnd  numerous  friends  amon,y;  the  honest  Xew- 
foundlanders.  Mr.  Mollo\-,  the  Aiiieriean  eonsiil  at  the 
port,  entertained  us  with  the  greatest  eordiality.  Mrs. 
MolloN'  was  efpially  hospitable,  and  insisted  on  the  whole 
party  bein<"-  invited  to  their  house.  Xot  less  eourteous 
was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harve\-,  the  historian  of  Xewfoinid- 
land,  who  v.as  kind  enough  to  ])ersonally  introduce  us  to 
the  5.;()vernor,  vSir  Terance  X.  ()'I)rien,  at  the  (govern- 
ment House.  His  Ivxcellency  received  us  ])leasantly, 
anil  invited  the  whole  parl\-  to  the  reception  which  it 
was  ))roposed  to  !L,nve  to  Sir  Ambrose  Shea,  a  former 
<.^overnor  of  Xewfoundland,  who  was  expected  to  arri\e 
at  vSt.  John's  on  the  Xoru  SoUiaii,  1 1/  ro/i/,  to  his  new 
post  at  the   I'ermudas. 

Besides  these  acts  of  distinj^uished  courtesy,  we  were 
the  recipients  of  marked  attention  from  other  citixeiis  of 
.St.  John's.  .Several  of  us  \isited  the  ISrilish  war-ship 
I\ni('raI(U  which  la\-  in  the  harbor,  and  were  most  hos- 
pitably receixed  b\-  the  captain,  .Sir.  I'.aldwin  W.  Walker, 
I'art..  aiid  the  other  officers  of  the  shi]). 

( )n  I'ridaN-  n'orniuL;  wi'  left  .St.  John's  on  the  Xova 
S(i>/iaii,  and  after  an  uui'xeulful  \i)\  a^i  saw  tor  a  short 
stop  at  Halifax,  X.  .S. — arrived  at  iiallimore-,  whence  we 
])roceeded  to  IMiilailelphia,  wlu  le  \\\'  arriwd  on  .Se])teni- 


^ 


214 


/X   .lA'C/VC  S7:.IS. 


:i\' 


li*^ 


I,' 


i: 


l)L'r  Slh,  llms  conipk-liiij^  our  \())a<4L'  in  a  lillk-  inoru  than 
tluvc  nioiitlis. 

To  rc\i(.\v  lliL'  trip:  llic-  ()l)jtcl  wliicli  moved  Lifutcn- 
aiit  I\'ar\'  was  a  most  landahk'  one,  ami  if  succL'Ssful  will 
add  ^rcath'  to  our  knowkdj^i.-  of  a  most  obscure  (juartcr 
of  the  world;  ou  the  pari  of  the  reluruinj^-  members  of 
the  expedition,  the\-  brou,L;ht  home,  besides  much  \alii- 
able  information,  many  specimens  of  the  flora  and  fauna 
of  ( ireenland.  vSuch  collections,  wlu'ther  anthropologi- 
cal, zoological,  botanical,  or  ^eolo<;ical,  are  alwa\s  of 
benefit  to  the  world's   fund  of  knowlediic. 

This  is  the  main  aim  of  all  explorations,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  expedition  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of 
their  contribution.  There  were  more  than  seven  tons  of 
material  brou.^ht  back,  a  larj^e  proportion  of  which  is 
now  in  the  Academ\-  of  Xalural  .Sciences,  ready  for  the 
use  of  future  students  of  the  xarious  features  of  Arc- 
tic life.  The  skidls  and  other  anlhropolo<;ical  material 
which  we  were  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  have  pro\ed  a 
nu)St  useful  addition  to  the  fine  collection  now  in  the 
Academy's  museum.  Not  less  valuable  were  the  addi- 
tions made  in  ornitholo^x,  in  iiucrtebrate  zoology,  in  en- 
lomoloi^y,  and  in  bolan\-.  I'' very  separate  object,  whether 
an  Ivskimo  child's  toy  or  a  metioric  mass,  has  its  \alue 
in  the  e\es  of  the  true  scientist,  who  kiu)ws  where  each 
belongs  in  the  (^reat  econoitu  of  nature. 

It  was  not  until  the  \()\a.L;e  was  nearly  oN'er  thai  we 
fully  comprehended  what  we  had  done  an<l  what  we  had 
aimed  to  do.  The  r(.ali/.ation  of  the  dangers  so  receiitlv 
l)assed  seemed   to   increase  as  we   iieaied   home  and   had 


ji;  i 


■J I II-:  \'oy.i(.i:  oi-   riii:  kiii-:. 


215 


more  time  for  rellectioii.  The  tales  of  Kane  and  others 
now  came  hack  to  memory  with  sneli  vi\'i(hiess  and 
realism    that    the  imauination   needed   not  to    he   called 


upon  lor  scenes  and  places;  indeed,  so  strange  and  diller- 
eiil  had  heen  the  Arctic  land  and  its  people  tliat  one 
mij^ht  have  asked  whether  it  was  still  onr  own  world. 
The  inconccivahle  inimensit\-  of  the  j^laciers,  the  mere 
frat^ments  of  which  make  j;i<;antic  and  lofty  iceherj^s;  the 
midnij^ht  snn,  shinini;  on  the  illimitable  ice  cap;  the 
stran-'e  and  ciirions  forms  of  animal   and  \e''elal)le   life  ; 


tl 


le  intense  so 


litnd 


e,  unbroken  save   t)\-  the  hea\\-  nim- 


blin_y;  and  thiiiiderinj^  of  colla])siii,!4  ber<4S,  which  at  times, 
thon.^h  many  miles  away,  would  make  almost  lidal- 
wa\es  b\-  their  sudden  displacement  of  the  water,  and 
very  perceptibly  cause  our  ship  to  roll  and  toss  on  the 
troubled  sea, — a.i^ain  and  attain  i);issed  in  re\iew  before 
us  as  we  sat  lazih'  dreamin<^  on  the  sunlit  decks  on  the 
passa<;e  homeward.  Tlu'  lieav\'  ,^ale  we  encountered  on 
Icavint^  Whale  Sound,  wh<re  wc-  were  but  a  mile  or  two 
from  a  lee  shore,  with  crashin<^  ber^^s  e\er\  where  around 
us  and  the  weather  so  thick  that  not  a  sliii)'s  leiioth 
could  be  seen  from  our  deck;  the  uroundini;  ot  our  ship 
in  Waif^ate  Channel,  and  our  numerous  escapes  from 
beiiiL;  wrecked  b\-  the  ice, — all  caused  us  to  realize  how 
close  we  had  been  to  lia\in;^  met  the  fite  of  so  main- 
others  who  had   \entu'i(l   to   the   fro/eii    Xorth. 


^'  *»- 


iii 


»!' 


t 


PART    II. 


The  Relief  of  Peary 


AND 


THE  LOG  OF  THE  KITE, 

ETC. 


nm 


:^ 


I1» 


li 


J 


INTRODrCTION, 


Till':  slR'fts  tor  "TliL-  N'oyao-c  of  tin-  AV/r,"  wliicli 
forms  Part  I.  of  tin.-  prcsc-nl  noIuiiR',  were  sea rt-clx' 
off  press  when  it  beeame  exideiit  that  a  larger  edition 
wonld  be  needed  to  snpi)ly  the  demand.  The  anlliors 
decided,  however,  to  await  the  reliu'n  of  the  l'ear\  Re- 
lief Expedition  which  had  jnst  been  sent  ont  b\  llie 
Academ\-  of  Xatnral  Sciences,  and  to  inchide,  if  possi- 
ble, in  the  new  edition  a  brief  account  of  Lieutenant 
I*ear\'s  exjilorations  and  lite  in  the  Xorth.  The  result 
has  fully  justified  theii'  caution.  The  relief  e\pe(Htion 
was  not  only  entirel\'  successful  in  finding-  Lieutenant 
I'eary  and  his  part\',  but  also  in  extending  the  fields  of 
explorations  undertaken  b\- the  West  (ireenland  Expedi- 
tion. vSo  much  material  was  ])laced  at  the  disposal  o{ 
the  authors  by  members  of  the  relief  ex])edili(iu.  b\- 
CajHain  Pike  and  b\-  Lieutenant  Pear\-  himself,  that  the 
idea  of  an  appendix  was  abandoned  and  it  was  decided 
to  issue  an  eutireh'  new  work  which  should  be  a  l>rief 
but  complete  storv'  of  the  PearN"  P^xpedition  of  iS(;i-'(j2. 
The  ])reseiit  Xdluuie  includes  the  stor\'  of  the  West 
(ireeidand  P^xpeditioii  of  iSc^i,  which  i-scorted  Pear\ 
and  ills  part\-  to  Xurlli  (ireeiilaud.  It  tells  of  their  Imi:^ 
winter  sojourn   in   that  desolaU'  laiul.      It  (K'scribes  the 


ji'.i 


220 


INTROnrCTION. 


sw 


k 


life  of  Mrs.  Peary  in  Iirr  nniciiu-  position  ;;s  tliu  only 
wliitc  woiuaii  who  c\er  wintered  in  the  extreme  North. 
It  ,!.4i\es  a  l)rief  aeeonnl  of  Lientenant  Pear\ 's  ^rand 
(lasli  iiortliward  o\erhuid,  and  of  liis  sneeessfnl  retnrn. 
It  recites  the  eoniplete  story  of  the  relief  e\])e(lition 
from  its  conception  to  its  fnlfillment  with  the  finding-  of 
l'ear\-  on  the  ice-cap.  It  contains  the  fnllest  account 
yet  i)nl)lished  of  the  loss  of  Mr.  \'erhoeff,  with  the 
rumors  and  suspicions  which  were  excited  hy  that  loss. 
And  it  brielly  describes  the  welcome  home  which  the 
explorers  receixed  after  the  most  successful  Arctic  ex- 
pedition of  modern  times. 

'I'he  ex]iedition  was  wonderfully  successful.  With 
only  one  man  missiuj^',  without  undue  danj^er  or  expos- 
ure this  little  baiul  accomplished  more  in  fifteen  mouths 
than  had  been  done  by  all  the  pre\ious  expeditions  since 
Kane.  It  succeeded  in  uiappin,L;-  out  a  lariL;e  extent  of 
])re\iousl\-  unknown  country  about  In^^lefield  (lUlf.  It 
explored  thorou.L;hly  the  ,!L;reat  I'etermauu  fiord  of  which 
onl\-  the  entrance  was  hitherto  known.  It  i)euetrate(l 
to  the  northern  limit  of  the  .^reat  ice-ca])  of  (ireeuland 
and  fairh-  indicated  the  northern  l)oinidar\-  of  that  i;reat 
island.  It  reached  within  loo  miles  of  the  furthest 
jioint  north  ever  reached  b\-  man,  and  m:ii)])ed  the  east- 
ern coast  of  (ireeuland  fnll\-  ioo  miles  north  of  the 
furthest  point  heretofore  reached  on  that  coast. 

This  is  a  i^rand  record,  and  one  of  whicli  Lieutenant 
IVar\-  and  his  ])art\  may  well  be  ])roud.  He  did  not 
succeed  and  he  did  not  anticipate  beiui:;  able  to  succeed  in 


h' 


M 


o 

> 
X 
H 

If. 


> 

\^ 

I 

r. 

r. 

c 


r, 

r. 


■    \ 


^ 


11: 


j 


|i 


I; 


/XT/yio/u'cnoiV. 


2-V> 


his  short  joiinuN  in  ]ilanliii;_;  thr  \iiuric;in  llai;  al  a  point 
t'livthi-i  tiorlli  tliaii  it  had  alrcail\-  hix'H  plaiitrd  by  I!raiiiar<l 
ami  I.oc'kwood,  hni  \\v  ha>  i>ro\-fU  that  the  lattf  iiiii^t 
ha\r  uachcd  rilhi.r  an  oiitK  iiii^  spur  of  thr  ^nal  <  imn- 
hind  couliiK'Ul,  or,  as  i>  iiiort.-  prohahk',  an  i>huid  Iviii..; 
ill  i\\v  pako-crystic  sra.  I  Ir  has  shown  that  thi'  method 
wliich  he  first  (.•mployi.d  for  (.'xphjriii.^  thr  interior  of 
(irieiil.iiKl  is  not  only  perfectly  feasihU'.  but  pro(liteti\e 
ol    the  greatest  results  for  the  k'a>t  exertion  and  daiii^er. 

I  le  was  able  also  to  map  out  aeeiirately  a  lar^f  por- 
tion of  the  western  coast  of  (Greenland  which  has  hith- 
erti>  been  only  im])erfectl\'  explored,  and  to  pro\(.'  by 
the  experience  of  his  part\-,  which  inclnded  his  >omi^- 
wife,  that  it  is  ])ossiI)le  for  white  peo])le  to  live  in  coin- 
parati\e  comfort  in  an\'  climate  in  the  world. 

Captain  Richard  Tike,  the  commainler  of  the  A  "/A,  on 
both  the  ex])editions  to  the  Xortli,  ,L;a\e  the  authors  the 
use  of  his  official  lo.^"  of  the  xoya^e  which  is  here  repro- 
duced in  full.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  rcdief  ex])editioii 
was  remarkably  fortunate,  the  /\//<-  meetin,^,'-  not  a  sin^^le 
storm  nor  having-  been  dela\  ed  1)\-  ice  to  aiu'  considerable 
extent  ill  her  loni;'  \-oya,iL;e  to  the  entrance  of  Rensselaer 
\k\\\  in  7S^  23',  or  in  her  return  to  the  Delaware  Capes. 
T/ic  la/iic  0/  t/i/'s  ofjiiia/  /vvvvv/  tan  sur/rt/v  />(■  (>:<t- 
i'stiDialcd.      l!   ,i,'/rv.i'    an    aiitluntic   lucord  i^f    ///(•  •icJii^lr 

t'Xpi(////i>l/. 

Mr.  William  !•',.  Meelian,  who  accompanied  the  relief 
expedition  as  botanist,  has  ^raphicalh'  describeil  the 
joiirnex'.      His  facilities  for  obser\-ation  and  his  skill   in 


m 


224 


IXTRODUCTION. 


Uv 


+1^ 


|)(»rtrayin<^-  tin.-  iiicidculs  of  llic-  xoya.m',  luakt-  his  portion 
of  IIr'  work  of  pL'fuliar  iutrrt-'St.  The-  authors  ask  iiic 
to  i-xprcss  thrir  apprcciatiou  of  his  kind  ciidfax-ors. 

The  only  sad  iucidcMit  of  the  entire  stor\-  is  ihi'  loss  of 
Wrhoeir.  Whether  he  strayed  away  intiiitionall\  with 
tile  idea  of  spending;  a  winter  aloni'  in  the  Arelie  high- 
lands, or,  whether,  as  Lientenant  IVary  heliexes,  he  was 
lost  in  the  j^laciers,  is  one  of  those'  niwsteries  whieh  the 
icy  Xorlh  holds  and  will  in  all  prol)al)ility  nexer  be 
nnfolded.  All  the  information  that  it  was  possible  to 
obtain  on  the  snbjict  has  been  ])roenred,  inelndiniL;  the 
correspondenee  between  Mr.  Wrlioeff  and  Lienten.mt 
I'eary  before  the  (.'Npedition  saiUd,  and  the  oflii-ial 
reeord  of  seareh  as  drawn  u])  by  Captain  I'ike  when  the 
nnfortnnale  yonn^-  man  was  found  to  be  missing-.  The 
latter  has  been  rc'])roduced  by  jihoto^^raphic  ])roeess. 
'l\ie  melancholy  interest  in  the  yoini.i;  man's  fate  is  \ery 
•^reat,  and  these  records  will  ser\  e  to  satisfx'  it  as  far  as 
is  now  i)ossil)le. 

'I'he   autliors   ha\e   asked   nie  to  thank   Mr.    Mehillc 

Philips    and    Mr.    vStepheu     IMeil    for    their    assistance 

in  ]M-eparin,n-  this   record   of  the    Peary    ICxpedition   of 

lS9i-'ij2. 

\V.    H.    IUkk. 


I 


THK  LOGOFTHIi  "KITE." 

KlCIIAkl)   I'lKi;,   M.\.sti;k. 

ikci.MMUd  V.  rl.atiih  l,,„„  ilir  .lui,  -  Ion  k.  I.v  |,.i  iiuvMcii  <,l  Captain  I'ikf.^ 


i. 

DIARY  ()I-  THIv  I'lvARV   RHIJKF  KXPKDITloX 

To  wi-sT  (;ri:i-:xlaxi). 

C  < )  M  M  i'.  \  c  I  \  ( ;    J  r  I.  V  4 ,    i  S  9  2 . 

Moxi.AV,  Jri.v  4,    A.  M.— liroiiis  strono-  h\xx-/.v  In. in 
S.  \\'.,  wilh  ihick  cloudy  wcallicr.      S.  S.  A7/r  (.'Wivvd 
for  the- (-■xpc'dilioii,  lyiii^- at  owner's  wharf.      9  a.  ni.,  llic- 
relict   part)-   from    {'.    S.   came   on    board,  coiisi.siin.L,'-  of 
the    followin,^-    niemhers  :     Professor    .Xn.^clo    Ileilprin, 
Academy  of  Xatnral   vScicnccs,   I'hiladclpliia,  and  com- 
mander of  the  e.\])edition  ;   IIenr\-  ( ',.  P.r\ant,   PliiJadel- 
phia,    second    in    c(jnnnand,    explorer  of    (irand    p'alls 
of    Labrador   (1S91);    Dr.  Jack.son    M.    .Mills,  .snrocon, 
William    K.     Median,     Philadelphia,     assistant    editor 
of  the   Philadelphia   /.,v/--v7-,   son  of  Profcs.sor  :\rce]ian, 
\'ice-pre.sident    .\cadem\-   of    Xatnral     Sciences,    I'hila- 
delphia  ;     Albert    While     X^orse,     exchan,<re     editor    of 
Philadelphia   />nss  ,■    iMank    W.    Stokes,    Philadel])]iia, 
artist  representing-  .SV/v/w, /-'.v    AAro/tzn/r  ,■   C.    V..    I  lite, 
P.iirlin-tf)n,    X.    J.,    zoological    preparator  ;    vSanuiel    J. 

225 


i 


2j6 


IX  ARC77C  SI-: AS. 


i 


IW 


i 


ICulrikiii,  W'fst  Cla'sUr,  I'a.,  lontKrh  Director  of  tlie 
ScliolR'ld  Itulnslrial  vSchools  of  Aikc-ii,  vS.  C.  1't.ople 
(.niploN  r<l  taking  on  hoard  stores  sliippcd  by  M/raih/a 
from  W\v  York.  Xooii,  ,L;aI(.-  from  S.  W.  litisily 
c-n.i^a,L;i.(l  prfpariui;  for  tlu'  \-o\  ai^f.  Members  of  the 
]\irt\-  pill  hi!:;^a,L;e  on  boanh  and  took  iij)  tlieir  (piarters 
first  ni^ht  on  board  tlie  /\//i\  Michii^lit,  hea\\'  ,L;ale 
fu)'!!  vS.  \\'.\  thick,  ciond\-  weather. 

Ti'i'.ShAV,  J I  i,\'  3,  A.  M. — 'IMiis  da\-  l)e^ins,  as  \ester- 
(hp  ,  witli  stronj.,^  .u;»l<-'-  P'-  !'••.  hea\y  rain.  S  a.  m., 
wind  nio(k'rate  and  fine.  I'eopk-  einph)\ed  i)nttin_^-  on 
board  coal  stoves.  The  ])art\'  enjoyed  tlieir  ni^l'.t's  rest 
on  board  ;  also  partook  of  a  iL^ood  lireakfist.  Xooii, 
fiiu-.  2  p.m.,  first  whistle  to  start.  2.1.S  J'-iii.,  second 
blows.  2.3i>  ]).m.,  ca>t  off  from  the  wharf,  all  on  board  ; 
backed  in  the  harbor  amid  cheers  from  the  shore,  with 
all  the  ^ood  wishes  imaginable,  accompanied  by  Messrs. 
IJowrin^'s  steam  laniich.  ( )utside  the  narrows,  3  ]>.  m., 
parted  com[)an\-  with  steam  launch  and  well-wishers 
amid  a  \-olle\'  from  re\-ol\ers,  and  shaped  our  course  for 
(ireeiiland.  I'.  M.,  parsed  north  end  of  Uaccrdieii. 
Modirale  breeze  from  X.  \\.  and  few  hea\'  swells  iiea\- 
im;  from  X.  V,.  id  p.  in..  Miranda  passi'd  ns  be, 
bound  for  Little  \\a\  ;  exchanged  three  whistles  and 
])aited  compaiu'.  Midnight,  calm  and  ftic  ;  engines 
.ijc  \\\\^  full  s])eed. 

\Vi:i)Ni"..si>.\v,  Jri.v  6,  A.  M.  —  Iie^ins  li,<;ht  breeze 
from  the  ^'astward,  and  fine  all  fore  and  aft.  Canvas 
set    S  a.   \\\.      Some    of    the    ]>art\    failed    to    be    at    the 


7//A"  LOC  OF  TlfE  KIT  I-:.  227 

l)ixakfa>l-lal)k\  but.  iIk-  fiiK-  Wfatlicr  tliniUL^li  llic  (la\ 
Ijiou^lil.  iIr'111  lint.  Lai.  al  iiDoii,  4'^  41'  X.;  loii^., 
},2  511'  W.  4  |).  111.,  tiiK-  wtailur.  Sonic  of  llic  parl\- 
iiijoxfd  UKiiischrs  al  iiAdhcr  ^liooiiiii^  al  lar^cls 
llu'owii  from  >liip.  ^  p.  111.,  wind  Inrnin^  to  llir  S.  W. 
Sfl  all  s(|uai\'  >-ails.  Midiii,i;Iil,  nKHlcralc  and  fine-; 
(.■n,L;iiK-s  .i.;oin^  full  speed. 

TiirR.si) w.  Jri.\'  7,  a.  m.  — Ue^jins  niodcrak-,  bruc-zc- 
from  vS.  W.  and  riiic.  ■;  .t  m.,  Irrsli  bivczc  from  wcsl,  all 
possible  sail  set.  lMi:;i.Ks  i;oin,n'  full  speed.  ;dl  hands 
slio\ve(l  iliemsi'lves  at  table  al  S  a.  in.  in  i^ood  spirits. 
Xoon,  sun  obscure.  Lililude  I)\-  account  52'  k/, 
loiii^ilude  1)\  accoinil  5-  -•''  ^V.  4  ]).  111.,  weallier 
fine,  water  \-er\-  smooth.  Mr.  Ilrxanl  and  I'hitrikin 
succeeded  in  tdiiubiiiL;  lo  the  crow's  luvsl  aniiil  shouts 
and  laughter  from  the  rot  of  the  part\ .  4  ]>.  111.,  crew 
emplo\ed  >liifliii,i;-  t-oal  from  the  hold  to  the  bunkers. 
.Midni:.;lit,  li.i^hl  airs  and  fine,  cii;;iiies  ,L;oin,L;  full  speed. 

1'kii>. \v.  Jn.v  S,  A.  M.  —  lie^ins  as  \est.erda\-.  4a. 111., 
fre->h  breeze-  from  the  soitthw.ird.  Set  all  ])ossil)le  sail, 
6  a.m.,  rain.  s  a.m.,  breeze  fresheiiiii^,  rain  luld  up, 
walL'r  \-er\-  smootli.      All   the   part\-   on   deck    practisin,^- 


shooliU'',    readiiiLj,    etc 


Noon,    cloU(l\,    sun    ohscnre. 


I/ililude  b\-  account  ^s  i,^'  N'-.  lou^i^ilndi.'  1)\  ai'counl 
51  55'  W.  1*.  .M.,  cri-w  eiui)lo\ed  shifting;  t'oal  to  bunk- 
ers 2  p.  m.,  sudden  cdi  lui^e  from  \\.  X.  !•",.,  slowed 
sipiare  sails.  (\  p.m.,  li.i^ht  breeze  and  niurk\'.  S  ]).m., 
bri^k  bre.ze  iVom  the  >oulliward.  .Set  sipiare  sails. 
Midni^lil,  cloud\-,  en,L;ines  .i^oiu^  full  speed. 


2  2S 


IN  ARCTIC  SliAS. 


h'. 


.Satikd.w,  ]\\.\  (;,  A.  M.  —  lic'^iiis  brisk.  lirci/.c 
from  llic  soiilliNvanl,  and  cIdikK'.  W'atc-r  sniontli.  all 
possiblf  sail  si't.  S  a.  iii.,  (lillo  WL-alliiM'.  X<i()ii, 
cloudy,  thick  toi;'.  Latiludr  1)\  accoiiiil  5S  6',  loii^i- 
liidc^i'^  5S'.  4  p.  111.,  do.  Mr.  .\nisl  .Stoko  busily 
cii^a.t^cd  skclcliiii!^  slii])'s  spars  and  caiuas.  S  ]>. ni., 
Professor  Ilcilpriu  diliwrrd  a  lecture  in  the  saloon  on 
(ircculand,  which  was  wrN  inlercstiuL;  to  the  part\'. 
Mi(hii<i;ht,  li.^ht  airs  and  xariable  thick  fo^.  ICni^ines 
t^oitiL;-  full  speed. 

vSrxDAV,  Jn.v  10,  a.  m.  — lle^ins  as  \esterda\-. 
Stowed  S([nare  sails  4  a.m.,  do.  Clear  at  times  and 
fresh  l)ree/.e  from  the  southwanl.  .Set  sipiare  s;iils, 
water  smooth,  thick  foi;.  j  p.  m.,  met  >cattered  ice, 
slowed  down  to  half  sjjeeii,  hauled  in  patc'Ut  loi;.  3  ]).  m., 
clear  of  ice,  put  out  Io.l;.  '>  p.m..  .noin.n  throu,i_;h  loose 
ice  one  hour  and  fifteen  minutes,  ])Ut  out  Iol;.  Mid- 
iii<;lit,  \er\   thick  fo^;,    J^oiuL;  half  speed. 

?J()Ni»AV,  Jri.N'  II,  A.  M. — I'.e^ins  as  yesterda\-.  6 
a.m.,  lifted  little,  went  lull  spic-d.  11  a.m.,  met  thick 
ice;  went  slow,  \ei\  thick,  hauled  in  Vv^.  Xooii,  ditto. 
Xo  obser\ation,  !:;<>in!^  >low  lhiduu;h  loose  ici'  to  the 
easlwanl.  1  p.  m.,  dense  fo^;,  ice  .^.^eltiu^  liea\y  and 
thick,  stopped  the  en,uini>,  waited  for  lo^  to  clear.  4 
p.  m..  ditto.  Crew  eniplo\  eil  in  ^hilliiiL;  coal  to  bun- 
kers, nlii-f  part\'  amu>im;  them>el\es  on  an  ice  lloe. 
7  J). 111.,  fo^  lifting,  started  followiu;.;  lead>  to  tin.' eastward 
towards  the  ('Fteenland  co,i>t.  MidniL;ht,  ice  \er\  he.i\y 
autl  close,   stoppid,    lou;  lilted. 


Till-:  LOG  Of  THE  KITE. 


'■-'J 


Tfi.SDAV,  Jri.v  12,  A.  M. — lU'^ius  lK'av\-  rain,  ice 
close,  luriKil  sliip's  lie. 1(1  to  the  westward,  .H'tiii.^;  throiij^di 
thick  ice,  slow.  5  a.  111.,  went  li.ilf  spi'cd.  .Stopped 
the  enL;ines  to  renew  air  pnnij)  and  circnlatin^  pnnij) 
valve.       I)  a.  ni.,  slartetl,    steaniin<,f  slow   thron^h    loose 


heav\'  ice  to  the  northward  up  the  (  iri'cnland  coast.  10 
a.  ni.,  >un  came  otil  tor  the  lirst  time  in  six  d.i\>.  li^lit 
hrei/e  from  the  nor^llea'^t  and  bearinn  oil".  Xonn,  lati- 
tnde  1>\  indilllaxnt  ohsiTN  .ition  (1^  ^'.:'■  -'  I'-  "•••  .^"t 
cK'ar  of  tlu'  ici',  ^teamin^i  alon^:  tlu'  i'oa->l  in  north  water 
towards!  lodlhaal),  fresh  hrte/.e  from  northeast.uid  cloiid\-. 


\w 


:-\ 


ii 


JJV  A/^(T/C  S/CAS. 

6  ]).  m.,  abn-ast  of  ( indlliaal).  Midiii^lil,  H.^lil  1)r(.'eze 
and  fine,  abrrasl  of  l'isu^fd<.  I'ji.ninc-s  .^oiui^  full 
spc'fd. 

\Vi:i)M-;si)A\".  ]y\.\  i,;,  a.  m. — Ik-^ins  lii^lit  brc-czc 
Iroiii  llif  raslward  ami  fiiu-.  straining-  u])  llu-  coast. 
S  a.  HI.,  wind  wiTcd  to  iIk-  southward,  coast  shut  in 
with  fo,L;,  abreast  <if  S<.rnicrsut.  Xoou,  do.  S  p.  m., 
li.i;lil  brcc/.c  and  wcrin^  off  the  land,  crew  cni])l()\cd 
sliiftini;-  coal  to  bankcr>,  all  possible  sail  set,  parly  en- 
jovin.:^  an  open  air  concert  on  the  poop,  piicliiiiL;  (pioits, 
etc.  S  p.  ni..  oppositi'  Holsicinbor^.  S  j).  ni..  winds 
\-eerini;-  to  the  nortlieasl,  slowed  the  scpiare  sails  and 
altered  conrsi'  to  northeast  by  east  ^^  (.'ast.  Midnight. 
Hl^IiI  brcc/.e  and  thick  o\er  the  land,  i-n^ines  .^oini;  full 
speed. 

'riHRSDAV,  Jri.V  i.[.  A.  M. — He^iiis  li^iit  breeze  from 
S.  IC,  thick  hea\y  weatlur.  :;  a.  ni.,  mist  clearing  off 
tlie  land,  saw  tlu'  land,  also  a  i^reat  nian\-  icebergs  in 
our  course.  ()  a.  ni.,  fnie.  S  ;i.  m..  saw  Disko  Island 
Ijuuinj;-  east  about  fd'ty  miles.  steere(l  for  ( iodhax'u. 
Xoon,  \'er\'  fine.  5.3"  p.  ni..  took  pilot  ami  arrixed  at 
Lieveh'.  5.50  p.m. ,  drooped  anchor  in  the  middle  and  ])ul 
stern  line  ashore.  f'.,V^  p.ni..  i'rofessor  I  Ieil]irin  ;ind  some 
of  till'  staff  went  on  sliore  to  xi^it  the  (io\irnor.  fired  a 
salute  on  entering;  the  port,  which  was  answered  b\  the 
(lovernor  on  shore.  i)  p.  m..  'i;^ht  breeze  iVom  the 
northward  and  liii'-.  (^ur  iVicnds.  tlu'  mo^cinitoi'S,  did 
not  lor^cl  to  ])a\  us  .i  \  i>il  with  their  music.  id  p.  m.. 
all     the     part\'    returned    on    board,     haxiu.L;    ^peciuRUs 


rill-,  i.oc  or  11  IF.  Kill-:. 


-.ii 


ci)l!ic'ti.'(l  Tor  iluir  (U|)arlnuiil>.  .\rti-~t  Slukrs  l)ns\- 
skc-tcliiiii;.  Mi(lnii;lil,  c-.iliii  ami  c-Kmv.  (  )iu-  D.ii'i^li 
shi])  1\  iiii;  ill  llir  liailxir. 

I'kih  w,  jri.N  IS,  A.  M.  —  Uf.^iiis  a>  \isl(.nla\.  ')  a.  in.. 
slii|)">  (.'iiw  lilliiiL;  watii-,  rlr.  ni  a.  iii.,  all  iIk  partv- 
k-fl  llir  >lii])   tor   till'  >li()i\\  iiitc-iidiiiL;   a   (la\"s  liawliii!^ 


AS^^isr  \\  1'  r,(i\i  u\<ii<  c  \  Ks  ii-.vs,  m-'  disko.  in  tiii:  m  iTmn  " 
xi^itiiiL;  till-  iii(iuiitaiii>  M\y\  colKrliii'^  >inciiiu  lis  nl"  iiiUr- 
(.■sl.  Xddii,  (111.  I  |i.  111.,  >iii.ill,  r,iw,  tVt>li  lirct'/i.'  iVoiii 
S.  W  .  -  ]).  111.,  ]iarl\  caiiu-  on  lioaiil  tiird  and  liiiiiL;r\, 
l'finL;iii,i;  lluir  colk-climis  willi  lluiii.  'ldu\-  no  (liadil 
did  aiii|)K-  jn>li('i'  tt>  tlirir  diiiiur.  Tlir  ('idwriioi  r.mu- 
with  tlk'in  and  iliiird.  S. j^o  ]>.  m,,  1um\\  rain.  Tlic 
( i()\  i-ninr  and  all  of  llir   paiU   ixliuiK-d   lo  llir  ■-Ik.ic  on 


Tisumtfr ' 


J^^ 


IN  ARCTIC  S/:,IS. 


\W 


\: 


business.      II  ]).  111.,  all  caiiK'  on  hoard  and   wc-u-  xcry 
jj^lad  to  !:;()  to  rest.      Midnii^ht,  rain,  ck-aivd  o(T  {\\\v. 

Sati-rd-W,  Jn.v  16,  A.  M. — IWi^ins  calm  and  fine. 
9  a.  in.,  part)'  went  on  slioiv  on  bnsiiu'ss,  onk-rs  to  sail 
at  noon,  wratlRr  pcrniittiii!^,  for  rprrna\ik.  Li.ulit 
hrcczf  iVoiii  llir  wistward  and  fiiK'.  i.^o  p.  in.,  ])arl\' 
caiiif  on  hoard  hrini;iii,L;  seal  skin  cloth in.L;,  t-'tc. ,  also  an 
Ivskinio  interpreter.  1.45  p.  in.,  sleaiiU'd  ont  of  the 
harbor,  went  lull  speed  toward  rperna\ik.  Xnnierous 
icebergs,  li^ht  breeze  from  S.  W.  and  li.^ht  drojis  of 
rain.  7.^:^0  j).  lu.,  put  out  loi:;  at  lUaafjeld,  South  I'oint, 
brisk  breeze  from  the  southward,  foi;  han.^iuL;  o\er  the 
niountains.  10  p.  in.,  strou,t;-  breeze,  all  s(piare  sails  set, 
land  closed  in  by  foL;.  Midnii^ht,  rain  lioldiu;.;  up  ay.d 
clearing-,  passing  Hare  Islaiul. 

SrXDAV,  Jn.v  17,  .\..m.  —  Regius  wind  inoderating  and 
weather  clearing.  S  a.  in.,  line.  Xoou,  light  breeze 
and  line.  I'assc-d  vS\arteu  Huk.  4  ]).  in.,  ])assed  Kang- 
arsiik  about  four  luik'S  olT,  \er\-  few  icebergs,  t^teady 
breeze  from  the  northward,  etc.,  clear  weather.  i<>-3*' 
]).  III.,  ])assiiig  vSaudersnn's  H()]X'.  uuiuerous  icebergs. 
ii.V'  P-  111.,  arri\ed  at  r]Hrua\ik,  fired  the  regular 
.salute  which  was  answered  b\-  hoisting  the  llag  on  shore. 
Anchored  in  ele\en  fathoms  of  water,  twenty  falhoius 
cable  on  the  starboard  anchor.      Midnight,  calm  and  line. 

Mn\i)AN',  Jri.\'  iS,  A.M.  —  Ilegins  as  \esterda\-.  f)a.iu., 
crew  einploxed  shifting  co;il  to  bunkers.  (^  a.  iii.,  Pro- 
fessor Heil])riu  and  ])art\'  went  on  shore  to  pay  the  (  io\- 
eruor  a  \-isit.      Light  breeze  from  the  westward  and  fine. 


THE  LOG  OF  lllli  KITE. 


233 


II  a.  111.,  jKirty  came  from  the  shore.  11.30  a.  111., 
\vei>;lie(l  aiiehor  and  steamed  out  of  tlie  liarbor.  l"'ire(l 
a  farewell  <;uii  from  the  ship,  as  is  the  custom  on  arri\iii>>[ 
and  leaviii*;;  i)ort  on  this  coast.  2  p.  m.,  ont>i<le  the 
island,  shaped  course  X.  1",.  hy  Iv  ah)iij4-  the  coast,  fresh 
l)ree/.e  from  1{.  I'ound  numerous  iceberijs.  5  ]>.  m., 
passed  Kanj^ersuatsiak  Island,  wind  increasinjj;-.  6  p.m., 
stroiijj^,  heavy  liead  wind  ;  makint,'^  very  little  headwa\-. 
Midni.^'ht,  moderatinjj;',  sea  t^^oiu!:;;^  down,  altered  sliii)'s 
course  to  X.  \\.  1)y  \\.  X.  \\.  for  Duck  Island.  vShip 
jj^()iii}4  full  si)eed. 

Ti'i;si)AV,  Jn.v  19,  a.  m. — r>e,y;ins  moderatin,^-,  sea 
.smooth,  !L,^()in_n-  full  speed.  4  a.  m.,  thick  fo^.  6  a.  m., 
light  bree/e,  thick  fo^;.  vSlowed  the  engines  to  half 
speed,  7  a.  111.,  distance  run  up  for  the  island, 
stojiped  the  enj^ine,  calm  with  thick  fo<4.  <S  a.  m.,  saw 
the  island,  foj^-  too  thick  for  boat  to  land.  The  ship 
saw  several  \ery  lari^e  icebergs.  Ship  stoi)i)e(l,  waitinji; 
for  fo}^  to  clear.  i  ]i.  m.,  fojL,'-  cleared  olT,  steered  for  the 
island.  2.30  ]").  111.,  all  the  ])arty  landed  to  shoot  birds 
and  collect  e,y;|L;s.  vShip  lyin^dlT  the  island,  fine,  clear 
of  fo<;-.  5  ]).  111.,  sounded  whistle  calls  and  all  on  board, 
brou<j;lit  with  them  ninet\-  Ivider  ducks  and  thn-e  ^eese, 
numerous  icebergs.  5.3')  p.  ni.,  started  half  s])eed, 
shaped  our  course  X.  \\.  for  Ca]ie  \'ork,  H.^ht  breeze 
from  the  southward.  7  p.  m.,  li^ht  fo^;.  <>3<' ]>.  m., 
very  thick,  made  a  skirt  of  ice,  stopp.ed  ship  for  foL,'^  to 
clear.  Distance  run  from  Duck  Island  is  twtnl\-three 
miles,  course  N.  K.      i\Iidiii<;ht,  calm,  with  thick  fo,t>;. 


■""'■"'WPP* 


2.M 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


fiH- 


vl/l 


Wi'.DNivSDAV,  Jri.v  20,  A.  M. — Hfj^ins  calm  with 
tliick  foi^s.  5.  ■;()  a.  in.,  foj^  clcarud  olT,  went  ala-ad  fnll 
speed.  Jam  of  ice  to  the  X.  IC,  steamed  more  to  the 
westward  followiniL;  the  leads  northward,  lij^ht  breeze 
from  Iv  X.  IC.  <'). 30  a.  m.,  fine  open  water,  makint; 
straij^hl  course.  10.45  a.m.,  very  lieav\'  sheets,  haviii.t;  to 
steam  around  them  from  X.  \V.  to  east,  but  inakiii!^- ,i,'ood 
onr  course.  Xoon, stopped  for  a  (piarter  hour,  loosened  np, 
steaiiKd  in  <;-)0(l  water  to  X.  IC.  5  p.m.,  thick  foj^,  made 
fast  to  a  lloe.  6  p.m.,  clearin,!.,^  little,  no  water  to  be  seen 
north.  Crew  employed  shiftin,^  coal  to  bnnki'rs.  Mid- 
ni.^lit,  still  1\  in.L;  to,  lii^dit  breeze  from  IC.  vS   Iv,  thick  fo^. 

TiUKSDAV,  Jri.v  21,  A.  M.  —  l)e,nins  lij^lit  breeze  from 
IC.  vS.  Iv.,  thick  foL;.  1.30  a.  m.,  fot^  clearin,^  olT, 
steamed  to  X.  \V.  around  a  heavy  sheet.  3  a.  111.,  _i,n)t 
around  the  south  corner,  shajjed  course  X.  Iv.  Ljreat  deal 
of  water  to  the  north,  .y;oin^-  about  six  miles  per  hour. 
9  a.m.,  \er\'  thick,  made  a  hea\"\'  sheet,  hove  to,  to  await 
a  clearint;.  11  a.m.,  cleared  a  little,  went  ahead  half 
speed  an)iind  heav\  sheets.  Xoon,  do.,  distance  made 
o()od  to  noon  a])out  tliirt\-fi\e  miles.  2  ]).  m.,  weather 
ver\-  thick,  ice  also  thick,  stopped  the  engine.  Distance 
made  in  two  hours  about  I'leveii  miles.  4  j).  m.,  clear, 
went  full  speed  ahead  to  X.  Iv.  I)\  Iv.,  lon.i;  lakes  u{  water. 
S  p.  111.,  thick  fo<;,  ice  ver\  thick  and  in  lan^e  sheets. 
vStopjX'd,  distance  made  since  2  ]).  111.  about  twent\ - 
.se\en  iiiiles,  fresh  breeze  from  Iv.  vS.  Iv.  Lii^lit  snow. 
II  p.  111.,  fo<^  clearinj;  u]),  started  lull  speed.  Midnight, 
sighted  Cape,  bearing  E.  N.  H. 


THE  LOG  OF  rilE  KITE. 


-,vS 


Friday,  Jn.v  22,  a.  m. — Hci,niis  brisk  hat-'zc  from 
IC.  vS.  Iv,  li^ht  foj^s  at  tiiiK'S,  stcamiii};-  towards  Cape 
Vt)rk  in  loose  ice  and  lakes  of  water.  S  a.m.,  wry  thick, 
lyinj^  clo.se  to  the  shore.  9  a.  m.,  stron-^  breeze. 
.Steamed  to  an  I'<skimo  settlement.  ICskinios  cr\  in<r 
kimo  or  Idnno,  which  means  welcome.  Made  ship  fast 
to  the  standin};-  ice,  visited  by  the  whole  villaj^-e. 
Professor  Ileilprin  distribnted  presents  sent  from  I'hila- 
delphia,  ^cttin.i;-  all  the  news  he  conld  ascertain  of 
Lientenant  I'ear\-  and  party  thront^h  the  interpreter 
bronjjjht  from  Disko.  Xoon,  moderate  weather,  clear- 
in_tj  off,  nnmerons  iceber^^s  in  the  bay  between  the  ship 
and  Hnshman's  Island.  N'oon,  toj)  of  the  land  covered 
with  fog.  3  p.m.,  started  for  the  northward.  _s  p.m., 
very  thick  foj;-,  stopped  the  enj^ines  to  wait  for  a 
clear.  S  p.m.,  foji;  clearinj;-  off,  went  ahead  north  ilono^ 
the  coast.  11  p.  m.,  examined  Conical  Rock  to  see 
if  any  cairn  had  been  pnt  np,  conld  fnid  none, 
.steamed  awa\-  for  Wostenholme  Island.  Midni};ht, 
steaminj;-  alonj;  by  Petowik  (ilacier,  fresh  breeze  from 
Iv.  X.  K. 

vS.vrrKDAV,  Ji'i.v  23,  a.  m. — r>e.y;ins  fresh  breeze 
from  Iv  X.  Iv,  clear.  5-3'* -i-  "i->  pjissint;  the  west  end 
of  Wostenholme.  vSawa  i)ole  erected  on  shore.  .Stopped 
ship  close  by,  party  went  on  shore  to  see  if  the\-  conld 
find  any  records.  6.30  a.m..  part\'  came  on  board,  fonnd 
cairn  with  small  cask  containing-  records,  which  wa.s 
pnt  on  board  the  whaler  /^sk/nios,  captain  Phillii)s,  to 
be  landed  here,  if  possible;  took  copy  of  captain's  note 


F^ 


2M> 


IiW  ARCT/CS/iAS. 


Ii»» 


k 


and  Ufl  llir  ca>k  and  a  record  in  sanif  place  Xoon, 
passed  Cape  l'an\ .  2.30  ]).ni.,  \\u\v  to,  olT  Iuil)ln,  some 
kajaks  came  off  from  llie  I'.skinio  x-illaiL^c.  I'lofessor 
Hcilprin  and  l)art\  went  on  shore.  Lii^ld  brei/i'  from 
tlu'  eaNlward  ami  lini',  the  shi])  laying  off.  .|  p.m.,  pro- 
fessor came  on  hoard,  sent  on  shore  sledj^es,  also  a  lot  of 
lumber  and  other  useful  articles  for  the  natives,  also 
jL^axe  them  from  the  ship  a  lot  of  powder  and  ^nn  caps 
which  were  greatly  in  demand,  there  were  only  three 
!L;un  caps  in  the  whole  X'illa^f,  the  population  of  which  is 
fort\ .  0.  ^(  I  p.m.,  all  business  beinj^  done  there  we  started 
for  McCorinick  I>a\-.  S. 30  p.m.,  ])assed  around  the  west 
Corner  of  Herbert  Island,  i  1.30  ]).m.,  arri\-ed  at  McCor- 
uiick  r.a\-,  the  winter  ipiartirs  of  Lieul<.'nant  Tcirx  and 
part\ .  Messrs.  Cibson,  Cook  and  Wrhoeff  and  se\eral 
Ivskimos  came  to  \isit  the  ship  coniiuL;  to  the  .station. 
Miduij^ht,  li.<;ht  airs  S.  \V.  and  fine.  Xunierons  ice- 
bers^s  in  the  ba)',  too  numeroirs  to  anchor,  laid  by  in  the 
l):i\ .  Lieutenant  I'earx  and  .\strup  not  returned  from 
their  travel  north.  Mrs.  i'earx-  and  colored  servant 
camjK'd  at  the  head  of  the  ba\ . 

Sixo.W,  Jn.v  24,  A.  M.  —  r)e<;ins  calm  and  fo.!j^,<;y. 
I  a.  m..  Professor  Ileilpriu  and  part\  went  on  shore 
with  shore  part\ .  3  a.  m.,  jirofc.ssor  came  on  board, 
steamed  ship  a  little  in  the  ice,  made  fast  to  the  winter 
standiu)^  ice.  S  a.m.,  do.  \"odut\-,  beinjj^  the  Sabbath. 
Noon,  sent  boat  for  the  shore  part\'  to  come  on  board 
to  dine.  7  p.m.,  ice  broke  off,  .shifted  to  another  berth, 
^lidniijht,  fine. 


THE  LOG  OF  run  kite. 


-'.^7 


MnNDw,  July  ^5,  A.  M. — Ik-i^iiis  (mIiu  and  fiiu'.  6 
a.  111.,  cnw  i'iii])l(»\r(l  sliiftiiiL;  i'i>al  to  liuiikcrs.  i)  a.  iii., 
rrnksx)]-  lhil])riii  Kit  to  ]ia\-  Mrs.  l\ar\  a  \isil  at  tlif 
luad  of  iIk'  l)a\,  Iwilw  iniK'^  u]).  Xonii,  I'mi^lk'd 
coaling;,  lillini;-  waltr,  itr.,  rti'.  Slii])  iiKiiurd  to  a  small 
icihrr^.      .Still  i-aliu.      S  p.  ni.,  do.      Midnight,  (Vk,  do. 


IllMMiKKN'    111-.— Till-:    "KITIC'S"    l-TKTIIIIST    I'oINT    MiuTH. 

Tii-'.sn.w,  ]y\.\  -?').  .\-  M-  —  lir^ins  i-.diii,  --liip  >till 
nioort'd  tosniall  icthirL;.  5.:^!)  a.  111.,  tlir  \valni>  liuiiliiii; 
])art\-  rrtunu'il,  hioii^^lil  om'  n.iii(K-iT  and  oiK'sral.  I'arty 
luiiiu;  ])r(.-lt\- Will  usrd  up  soon  wiiil  to  lluir  hi'ds  but  not 
till  tlR'\-  had  llK-ir  usual  iVi'd.  WvatluT  (.■aim  and  \(.r\ 
fine,  ija.m.,  rrolVssor  I kil]>rin  rcttiniud,  slipped  from 
till-  ic'c'bii""':  and  slcaiuid  a\va\   for  lyittU'ton  Island,  li'jlil 


23« 


IN  AR'/C  IC  S/LIS. 


\W 


I!; 


'il 


breeze  from  S.  W.  and  liiK-.  6.45  p. in.,  passed  Cape 
Alexander.  S..J5  p.m.,  stopprdal  Lillliton  Island,  strotij^ 
bree/e  from  i.ist,  slianud  on  towards  I  Inmboldl  ( ilaeier. 
Midnij^lil,  mo(k-iatr  and  Inu'.  Ship  stopped  by  a  solid 
barrier  of  ici-  reaeliinj^  aeross  Smith  .Sonnd  from  Cape 
Sabine  to  Cape  Inj^defuld. 

\Vi;i>.\i;,si>Av,  Jri.v  27,  .\.  m. — He^ins  ealni  and  fine. 
I  a.  m.,  saw  sewral  walrnses  in  the  water,  also  some 
on  the  ice.  The  relief  part\  manned  a  boat  and  wiiit 
awa\- after  them.  .\  a.m.,  rttnrned,  havinj^  eai)tiired  four. 
Thick  fo!^.  Hauled  them  on  a  piece  of  ice  and  skinned 
them.  10. 30 a.m., calm  and  clear, finished  sk^tnlin<^^  took 
them  on  board  and  steamed  south  for  Littleton  Island. 
.Ml  the  ])art\-  went  on  shore  sliootinj^'  walrus,  liuiitiii<;, 
etc.,  etc.  6  p.m.,  party  all  on  board,  brout^lil  one  yoiiu!:;- 
walrus,  started  toxisit  an  iCskimo  villaj^eat  I'ort  I'onlke, 
Hayes's  winter  (luarters.  Several  walruses  on  pieces  of 
ice,  boat  went  after  them,  but  did  not  succeed  in  j^ettiii}^ 
any.  Killed  one  from  the  ship  and  <^ot  it  on  board. 
IT  p.  111.,  party  returned  satisfied  the  \illa<;e  had  been 
deserted.  Uronii^ht  a  few  relics  from  Hayes's  winter 
quarters,  steamed  south  to  call  at  Sontaj;-  Hav.  Midni.^ht, 
rounded  Cape  .Mexaii'ler,  bound  south,  calm  and  fine. 

Tiirk.SD.w,  Jii.v  2S,  A.  M. — IJe.nins  calm  and  fine, 
steaniinjj^easy.  3. 30 a.  111.,  arrixed  olTSontaji;  Hay,  stoi>ped 
the  enjj^iiie,  lay  by,  lot  of  loose  ice  alou'j;'  the  coast.  9 
a.m.,  part\'  went  on  shore,  ship  layins^f  olT.  Xoon,  party 
returned,  found  a  deserted  Ivskinio  villa,^e,  brought  with 
thcin   a  lot   of  relics  from   American  or  Ivnj^dish  ships. 


Tin-:  i.oc  OF  Tirr.  kitf. 


-'.V> 


oiK' button  was  foiuKl  Iia\iuj;  till-  K'tli  IS  tlu'iioii  "l".  S. 
\.,"  also  hrouj^ht  a  lot  of  ICskimo  skulls  from  tlir  j;ia\i'S. 
4  J),  in.,  pail)  stalls  for  the  shoii',  takin«4  with  tiKiii  a 
tol)()L;i;;an,  and  caih  a  small  haj^jof  clotlus  with  pioNisions, 
to  trv  to  j^ft  up  a  ^laciir,  intiiidin!,;  to  ritnrii  ahont  iiiid- 
nij^ht.  i()  ]).  in.,  party  camt' olT  to  tlir  shi])s,  not  Iia\in;^f 
ht'i'ii  ahlf  to  cliinl)  tlu-  j^lacii-r,  had  snppir  and  starti'd 
tor  till.'  .short-  aj^ain  to  tr\-  it  in  anotlu-r  din-ctitm.  Mid- 
nij^ht,  c-alin  and  fiiu-,  ship  still  lyiiiK  ^"• 

I-'kiD-W,  Ji'l.v  2t;,  A.  M.  —  lU-o^Jiis  as  yistcrdav.  S 
a. 111.,  li<.,dit  hrctv.f  from  .S.  V,.  and  c-loiuh',  i)arty  not  ix-- 
tnriK-d.  I  1.  v  a.m.,  party  rttnriit-d,  sncc-t-i-drd  in  e-liinh- 
inn  };lat'ic-r,  and  walki-d  a  ft-w  niik-s  to  tin-  inland  ice, 
absent  from  the- ship  thirtc-t-n  and  a  half  hours.  Startt-d 
towards  Cape  Robertson  at  2.^V'  !'•  '"•-  -'  ''-'X  inside  not 
named  on  the  chart,  steamed  in.  Professor  and  two  of  the 
party  landed  to  exainine  some  deserted  Ivskinio  lints, 
after  laiidin<j;,  found  one  faniih'  in  a  lint,  bron<;lit  them 
on  board,  <^a\e  them  some  lumber  and  other  serviceable 
articles,  and  left  at  S  p.  ni.  for  M'.^Cormick  Ha\-,  where 
we  armed  at  1 1  ]>.  in.  .Xnchoied  in  ten  fathoms  of 
water,  thirt\-  fathoms  cable,  close  in  shore  opposite 
I'eary's  winter  (paarters.  Mi(l:iiu;lit,  cm'iii  and  fine,  kept 
watch  as  at  sea,    imnierons   iceberi^s  driftiiiji;-  in  the  bay. 

SA'rruDAN',  jil.N'  y<\  A.  M.  —  Ilci^iiis  as  \esterday. 
6  a.  m.,  crew  eniplo\ed  shifting;  coal  to  bunkers,  ttc. 
Xoon,  ditto.  2  ]).  111.,  started  to  Rol)ertsoii  \\\\\  to  land 
a  part)  on  a  (U-er-lmiuiiiL;  excursion.  b,V'  l''iii.,  at  the 
point  desin-d,  where  Mr.  Hryaiit,  Dr.  Mills,  Mr.  Median 
and    Mr.  Iviitrikin   and   ICskimo   Daniel  went  (Jii   shore, 


,.,ii< 


l^ 


r^-BH-^mmmm-w 


24' 


/A'  .lA'C'/'/C  s/:.is. 


\W 


H 


l.ii 


'I; 


imvini;  a  wnk's  prox  isioiis,  kit  oik'  dI  llii-  sliip's  hoats 
with  llu'iii  lo  rc'ttini.  TunKd  ship  ahonl  and  sltanK-d 
hack  to  McConiiic'k  \'>:\\\  wlurr  \\c- arrixi-d  at  7  p.  111., 
and  aufliorcd  al  (Uiv  usual  auclioriuL;  phicc.  W'ratlur 
calm  "iud  fiiic      Midni,i;lil,  ditto. 

SiNi>.\\,  Jii.N'  31.  A.  M. — Hc^ins  as  wstirdax. 
\\\allii.r  sui  |)risiu,nl\-  line.  Xo  dul\'  l(>-da\ ,  hcin;^  the 
Sal)halh.  We  i^i't  nur  usual  c(ini])lini'.ntary  \isits  iVoui 
the  h'.skinios.  Three  of  I'eaiA  "s  pait\  dined  ahuard. 
Conlinued  line  throughout  the  twi'nty-four  liours. 

M()n:i>.\n\  Arcrs'i"  i,  A.  m.-— IJei^ins  as  yeslerdas-. 
6  a.  ni. ,  i-onmuni'ed  elearini^  ship,  (.'Ic,  and  still  at  anchor. 
Still  awaiting  tlu-  arri\al  of  I.ieiitenaul  l'ear\  from 
his  joiirnev.  Artist  on  short'  ])aiutini;,  huntin<^  paity 
not  leturned.  haid  with  \er\  \]uv  weather.  Xnnurons 
while  whales  .^oiuu;  up  the  haw 

'rri;si)  \\ ,  .Xrc.isr  j,  a.  m.  —  Ik'^ins  as  yesterdax . 
Calm  and  \er\-  line.  o  a.  ni.,  cool,  employed  on  the 
ri^,L;ini;  and  oilier  work.  I'rof.  Ikilpriu  and  \'orse 
went  in  I'.oat  to  coIIi-cl  sLniish,  hut  i^ot  \ery  lew  speei- 
ni'.us.  Xoon,  ditl( weather.  |.i5]).ni.,  hnnliuL;  parl\ 
returuid  iVoni  Kohertson  lias  ;  securtd  onl\  six  .\rclic 
liares.  \\\at]Kr  c-ouliuues  \-er\  i\nv.  S  p.  ni.,  all  the 
pail\  went  on  shore  to  play  a  ^aUR-  of  hasi'-hall.  i  i 
p.  m.,  all  the  parl\  canie  on  hoard  and  retired. 

\Vi:ii\i:s;iA\\  .\rc,rs'i'  ;,,  a.  m.  —  I'.e^ins  as  \esterda\ . 
Calm  and  line.  10  a.  m.,  parl\  wxut  on  shore  to  tujoy 
tlieniseK-es,  secMned  to  he  notliini;  particular.  Crew 
filling  water,  saw  a  line  small  salmon  at  llu'  mouth  of 
the  stream.       W  M.,  Eskimos  went  huntiu'-  se.ils  in  their 


Tin-:  i.oc,  rv  ////:  ay//;. 


241 


kajaks,  srcuad  (Hk-  lirartK-d  >(.al  and  (nu-  ><nin:^  wliiu- 
wlialr.  I  if  wliii'li  llir  iialuralisN  srcuRil  llii'  skilrloii. 
TIk-  >it(iil  was  tiii(i\i(l  \ir\  imuli  1)\'  all.  Xo  si^n  of 
Liiiil.   I'laiA  anixiiiL;.      Midiiii^lil,  calm  and  ilm-. 

'I'lMkSK.W,  Ai c.rsr  |,  a.  M.— lU',i;in>  a^  \tskTda\-. 
<)  a.  ni.,  how  n])  and  siraninl  Im  tlir  lu-ad  of  llu-  l)a\. 
Mis.  l'(.ai\  and  i-i  ili  Hid  scr\ant,  Matlluw,  y  iinr(l  ihr  slii]). 
I  I .  [  S  a.  ni. ,  ani'lK  nid  al  llu-  Iirad  ( if  \\\v  bay,  tin  I'allii  \\\\> 
of  wakr,  nindd\  IxiUnni.  Saw  a  '^wa\  (|uanlil\'  of  while 
wh,di.>.  I  a.m..  ])arl\  landid  to  linnt,  (-(illic-l  >]>rri- 
nuiis.  rli'.  ,=i.,V  '  I'-iii.,  ,dl  llu-  |'arl\-  p.-lnrm-tl  on  hoard  and 
rnnaini-d.  Miilnii^hl.  nioiK-r.iU-  hn-r/r  from  llu-  \.  W. 
and  tViu-. 

I'kliiAN,  An.rsi'  s.  \.  m.  d!ri;in>  nuidnaU-  and 
L-loud\ ,  I'ol;  c"o\-i-rin;^  llu-  lop  of  llu- laml.  '>  a.  m.,  t!iit-k 
\yy^  which  conlinm-s  nnlil  11  a.  m.  Xoon,  fo^- 
ck-avcd  otV.  Chief  Male.  .Secor.d  kaii^ineer  ami  om- 
S(.-.inian  on  shori-  hnnlin;^  for  L^anu ,  Tarlx  inx-parin^ 
si^n-po^l  lo  lake  lo  ihe  ini.ind  ice  lo  dii-ecl  I\-ary  on  lii> 
wa\  lo  ihe  ^hip.  1  ]).  m..  all  llu-  ])art\  u  fl  ihe  ship  lo 
carrx'  oni  iheir  inUnlion  a^  lo  pnllin^  llu-  ])osl>.  ,S-,V' 
p.m..  male  .ii-i-i\-ed  from  hnnlin^,  il^oI  hiil  few  1)ird>. 
S.lW  ihree  deer  .md  SeNeial  wild  L^eese,  hnl  conld  nol 
i^el  near  llu-m.  n  >  p.  m. .  dense  fo^;.  Calm.  Midni^hl, 
do.   weallu-r. 

Sa'ITi^ian,  .\i(;is'1'  m,  \.  \\.  —  lie^ins  calm  and  fint'. 
.[  a.  m.,  heard  .i^^uns  Ininu;  on  short-,  Ixi.il  comim;  hrin^ini.; 
ihe  relii-l"  parl\,  who  wenl  id  pnl  n])  siL;nal  slalTs.  also 
Lieul     rear\   and  companion,   Aslrn]»,  who  .n-companied 


24: 


/A'  .lA'CVVi'  s/:.}s. 


^i'. 


liim  ill  his  tra\i  U  north.  \\\-  lioisud  >hii)'s  lla^s, 
and  ihiA  rrporUil  i1k\  had  an-oniuli^hi-d  tlu-  work  tl;.\- 
liad  (.xpfcUd  \\]]vn  lhr\  slarli-d.  Tlux  limn^lit  liw 
doj^s  iinl  of  >i\k-t.r.  ihiy  had  whin  ihrv  slarl</d  mi  Uif 
jonnii'v,  ha\iiiL;  I"  kill  llir  dllur  rltAtii  U.v  Uhh]  for  ilu' 
RinainiiiL;  (iiu>.  I.inil.  IVarv  and  A.-trnp  in  j^oixl  iK-alth 
and  lo((kin,!^  wrll.  Sa.  in.,  t-alin  :  m'  line  ami  all  [\\v 
parlv  taking  a  u-sl.  Ship  slill  1>  iii.14  al  .iiichor  at  tlu- 
hc-a<l  (if  thf  1)a\.  Xoon.  lVi>li  hnc/i-  fnnn  1-*.  X.  Iv 
Paid  niit  cdiaiii  lolhiilN  falhoiiis.  -  p.  ni.,  Liiiiti-naiit 
I\'ar\-  ;;>kt.(I  fur  >hip"s  i-nw  In  i.;n  nii  ^hon-  and  assist 
him  to  hrint^  hi>  lni;^a.L;f  from  llir  lop  of  iIr- (,-lilT>.  which 
\va^  \villin^l\  iloiU'.  Rclitf  ])arL\  too  niiu'h  fati^m-d  to 
};(i.  ii.V'p-iii..  .nri\rd  on  lioavd  with  >ill  hi>  iITih-Is. 
Midnij^ht.  >lidnL:  1)I'(.i./a-  and  fiiu-. 

SiNKW,  .\rc.rsi'  7,  A.  M.  —  lU-i^ins  as  \tstrrda\.  S 
a.m.,  all  \-(.-i\  (piict.  \o  in,  -ironi^  Ihxt/a-  from  i-ast,  !.;a\c- 
chain  to  foit\ -fi\  r  l"atlioni>.  .2  p.m.,  I.irnttiiinl  IVar\, 
Pidkssor  I  kilprin  and  part\' >lartid  tor  I  iu' shore.  .\ltir 
ont' hour  rowing  had  ton  turn,  dtiiu'lu-d  with  water,  not 
liiinj;  ahlf  to  rtni;in  on  shore.  j;  p.  m.,  orikit-d  sixain 
at  liand  in  ca  •  of  ship  driflin.L;.  li'owinj,;  Inaw.  } 
j).  m.,  anchor  st.irtrd,  ship  driftiiiL;  towards  sin >rr,  wmt 
(.•as\  .dR-.id,  how  lip  tlu  aiudior  and  stranu-d  to  tlu 
wi  atluT  sidi'  of  till-  1)a\ ,  and  la\  1)\.  M.^'p-  m  .  -tartfd 
moxiii;,^  down  tlu  l)a\ .  rii^incs  L;('iii;4  slow.  7  ji.  m., 
stnu'k  on  .1  shd.iland  lod^^d.  .SoinuU-d  aronnd  the  ship 
and  found  tli.it  slu  was  oiiK  caiiL;hl  on  llu-  fon  lo(;l. 
ShitU-d   a   littlr  iMV-'o  from    iorw.ird,  i.nL;iius  <'oinL;   full 


SB 

r. 
r. 


■-•i4;.».'i.l*-i  ■•:  fii*^..,,*i. 


m 


ti'i 


'ii: 

I 


i 


Till-:  I  ah;  ()/■'  I  III-:  kiti-:. 


-^J5 


sptrd  a>trni,  --.iw  a  ])i(.i.'r  i>f  \.\\^\^-  kicl  lloal  lip  almi^sidi'. 
S  ]).  111.,  slid  iiff  ili(  s]i()al.  slii])  iiiakiu^  uo  waUT,  still 
Miiwiii.H  lKa\  \  ,  l\in!4  in  iltij)  wain.  iii  ]>.  in.,  iiiuikr- 
atiii.^  a  litlU'.  SlarUil  di.w  u  llir  l)a\  lowaitls  ilu- station, 
wlicii  abuiii  half  \va\  down,  llu-  wind  mttin^  i\\\\W 
niodcralr,  1.  i<l  1)\.  lo  ]>.  in.,  st.irlfd  down  tlir  !)a\', 
cn^inrs  i^oiiiL;  slow.  Mi<lnii;lil.  hlow  iiiu;  lua\\.  stiipind 
'III'  rii^iius  and  K  t  tin.-  >liip  driw  down  llu  l)a\  loward.s 
tlu-  station. 

Mii\ii\N,  Aii.isrS,  \.  M.  —  iU'^iiis  hlowiiiL;  Ikmw 
tVoin  !•'..  \.  I'".,  oiii  tlu- l)a\ .  Ship  drift  iiiL;  down,  fia.ni.,. 
alniast  dl'  tlu-  station,  (.losi  in,  lua\\  ^\\\\  on  tlu- 
hr.u'Ii,  too  iniu'li  to  land.  la\  lortli  .iiid  h.uk  w.iitin-  lor 
it  to  nioiU'iMU-.  N'oon,  no  wiiitl  <-K-,u  sk\'.  i  p.  in., 
ino(k-i,ili-d  .1  littk'.  .Ships  crt-w  landrd.  l.it-nl.  and  Mrs. 
I'l-aiA  iiisidr  1  pf  Cap!.-  CIi-\'t.-land  .ilmiit  iwo  niik-s  s.iutli 
of  llu- st.itioii.  1  ]>.  n;.,  still  lilowin^.  |  p.  in.,  winds 
nuiik-ra' iiiL.;.      Midiii;^ht,  ralni. 

'l'ri-:.sli.\N ,  A  M  ,1  .s'l'  I),  \.  M. — l'ii-L;ins  i-.ilni  .md  i  lond\ . 
Ship  K  in;;  l)\  in  tlu  hav.  m  .l  in..  sU-.niu-d  in  closf  to 
tlu-  station  .mil  .iiu'lioird  t-xiit  rtiii'^  tn  take-  on  Ito.ird 
I.ifiiti-nant  I'i-.iia  .iiid  his  rtTt-tis,  Imt  wi-n-  L;ri,ill\  dis- 
appointid  llinlir.L;  him  and  lii~  p,irt\  w\-ri-  ,i;oin^  ,iw.i\- 
in  tlu  ir  l)oals  nn  .i  htintiiu;  <-Knrr-<ion  "it"  .i  wi-ik's  dnra- 
lioii.  l'rok-s-,nr  I  hilprin  .nui  -iiiuo!'  his  part\  dii  11.;- 
iiiu;  loi  sprrinuiis  ol'  s^.i  inserts,  i  i\-w  cinplovid  liilini.f 
W.itil.  rtr.  I  p.  ill.,  stili  r.ilni  .ili'l  t  jolldv  .  A  WW 
MosxHiis  (if  siiow  fill.  Ik  ilprin  and  p,nt\  l>iis\  ;;i  t  tin.^;; 
ri-.id\  to  ''o  li\  Iiii.ii  on  .1  hui'.lin::  tom  to  Iii'-k  fu  Id  (  riill" 


wr*"m 


f 


246 


IX  A/yHTIC  SEAS. 


\V^ 


h. 


'1; 


or  IkThL'il  Island.  Midni'^'ht,  lij^lit  l)ivc/c  from  vS,  K.. 
with  small   rain. 

\Vi;i>\i;si».\\ ,  .Vi'c.rsT  i(\  a.  m.  —  P.e.^ins  li,o;ht  lircc/e 
from    .S.    S.    \V. ,    willi    rain.      4   a.    m.,   ditto   weather. 

6  a.  ni..  lK'a\\'  rain.  S  a.  m.,  cleared  otT  a  little,  crew 
cm])l()\(.(l  shifting  coal  to  bunkers,  c^.^^oa.  ni.,  ]);irt\- 
left  the  ^hi|)  for  hunting-  tour.  Xoon,  wind  increasing- 
with  hea\\'  rain.  |  ]>.  m.,  hlowin.L;-  hard,  still  rainini; 
hea\\-.     ()  p.  ni.,  hea\\'  Ljaie,  ^a\e  chain  to  forty  fithonis. 

7  p.  m.,  anchor  dro\e,  steamed  ahead  slow  whil>t  hea\"- 
in;^  np  the  anchor,  no  use  to  ,!L;i\e  more  chain,  droxt-  olT 
in  deep  water,  hea\y  s(pialls  off  the  land  kept  the  ship 
dodj^in^  forth  and  hack  under  the  land.  9  ]).  lu., 
moderating;  a  little,  rain  holding  np.  Midni^lit, 
moderati-. 

'riiru.sD.w,  .XrcrsT  11, a.  m. — I'e.nius  moderate, thick, 
c!o;id\  weather.  4  a.  m.,  calm.  S  a.  m.,  ditto,  ship 
lyiuL;  1>\  in  the  l)a\\  none  of  tlie  hunteis  returned,  crew 
cmplowd  at  work  on  the  ship.  Xoon,  ditto  weather. 
■  1  ]).  m.,  iK.i\\-  rain.  S  p.  ui.,  ditto.  I'V^v*  p-  m-< 
.sudilen  s(|uall  from  \',.  S.  I-"..  Midnight,  uiori- moderate, 
thick,  cloud\    weather. 

I'lvinw,  .Vrcrs'i'  12,  a.  w. — lU'^^i ns  strong  hree/c  from 
S.  .S.  \\'.,  ,uid  cloudy.  (a.  m.,  li,L;ht  showers.  (<  i.  m., 
moderate  lij^ht  showers  of  snow,  steamed  in  clo.se  to  the 
short.' and  anchored  in  ten  fithours  of  wat(.r.  Tliirt\ 
fathrans  cable.  Xoon,  li.^ht  \ariable  winds,  \-ery  heavy 
sky.  1  ]i.  m.,  thick  snow.  S  p.  ur ,  ditto  weather. 
!Midni^ht,  li.^ht   breeze    from  !•',.  vS.  Iv,  and    frcshcniii'^, 


THE  LOCr  OF  THE  KITE. 


247 


still  siiowiii.i,'-  ;i  little,  none  of  tlu-  Imutinj^^  parties 
arrived. 

vSa'itrdav,  Arc.is'i'  13,  a.  m. — I'.e^ins  freslieiiin^ 
breeze  from  S.  vS.  IC,  xcry  liea\\'  sky.  i.  v>  ^i-  m.,  Pro- 
fessor Ileilprin  and  party  returned  in  ship's  boat,  l)roUL;lit 
with  them  as  sjiecimens  three  walrus  heads,  whieh 
the\-  obtained  whilst  huntin.i^.  4  a.  m.,  strong-  biir/.c, 
still  snowiu";.  S  a.  m.,  blowing;  hea\\ ,  anehor  holding; 
^^ood,  i^axe  a  few  fathoms  more  ehaiu.  10  a.  m.,  niod- 
eratinj;,  sky  elearini;.  Xooii,  line,  strong;  winds.  .}]).m., 
do.  weather,  no  si^ht  of  Mr.  Peary's  party  arrixin^. 
IMidnij^ht,  calm  and  fme. 

Sr\i>A\',  .Vrcr.ST  i  },  \.  m. — P.e.^ins  as  yt-sti-rdaN'. 
4  a.  m.,  one  of  jjartx's  l)oat>  killed  our  reindrer  and 
one  seal.  S  a.  m.,  calm  and  wxy  fuK,  no  dnt\  on 
board  ship,  bciiiL;  the  Sabbath.  Professor  Jleilprin  and 
some  of  his  party  awa\  dredi^in^  for  s]HeinK-ns  of  slu-ll 
fish.  SeenrLil  some  \ir\' fine  oni>.  Xoon,  fini'.  1  p.m., 
clouds'.  S  p.m.,  fresh  bree/t-  from  tlu-  southward  wilh 
rain.  Alidni^ht,  wimls  iui're-asin^.  Continue.,  to  rain 
hea\\-. 

M()Xl>AN\  Aic.rsT  15,  A.  M. — P.ri;iu>  blowing;  hea\\- 
from  S. ,  vS.  W.  with  liea\y  rain.  S.  a.  m.,  r;:i  .  huldiui; 
up,  wind  incr(.a>in;^,  i^aw  chain  to  si\t\  fithom>. 
Xoon,  niocUTatiuL;  a  litllr,  landi-d  l(i-(lay.  (;  a.  m., 
clearin,^  up  and  niixK-iatin'.;,  Ijut  hard  sipialls  at  iMUe  . 
Midnij^ht,  do.   weathir. 

Tii;si).w,  .\rc,;  SI'  if),  a.  M.--l!(.-ins  with  hard 
stpialls   fnon   S.  S.  W.  with   rain.      .Showers,      fi  a.    m., 


i\V 


24. s 


//V  ARC  in  si-:.\s. 


II" 


i 


in<)<kT;itiii}4  and  i-Kariu:^  oil"  lnir.  m  a.  111.,  calm  and 
liiK',  coiiiiiK'iK'i'd  lakiii;^  xiiiuof  I'iar\ 's  >t(irt.>  011  Iioard, 
boat  not  aniwd  \(.l.  A  lar^c  l(-l  of  itxhi-rj^s  and  drift 
otilsidi.-  iIr-  has.  Noon,  lii^ihl,  sariahlr  airs  and  line 
•  I  |i.  ni  ,  cIond\.  IIow  in  slack  chain  to  iliirl\  fathoms. 
(\  p.  m.,  rain,  hnl  still  li.j^ht  airs  and  conlinning  till 
midnij^ht. 

W'l'.DM'.sn.w ,  Aic.rs'i"  17.  .\.  m.  —  I'.c^ins  li.^hl,  \ari- 
ahli-  airs,  with  lua\\  rain.  |  a.  m.,  su<ldt.n  s(|nall  from 
the  southward  .^a\c  chain  to  lifl\-li\-c  fathoms.  it 
a.  m.,  still  hard  stpialls.  S  a.  m.,  nKukratinj^,  thick, 
clond\  wiMtlur.  Xooii,  li,L;ht,  \ariahlc  winds,  clcarir.L; 
off  line.  IIoxc  njt  slack  chain  to  thirty  fathoms. 
l'car\"s  boat  not  arri\cd.  (1  p.  m.,  sndiU'n  s(inalls  from 
ihi-  sonthward,  paid  onl  chain  to  liftx-liw  fathoms. 
S  p.  m.,  hiax  \  i^alc.  <>  p.  m.,  I'carx  arri\cil  iVom 
Inj^lcficld  (inlf,  wind  niodcralinj^.  11  p.  m.,  moderate 
and  line.      Midnight,  calm. 

'I'lUKSli.w,  At(,rsi'  iS,  \.  \i.  —  Ue^ins  calm  and 
lint.-.  I  a.  m.,  do.  wcitlui.  <;  a.  m.,  comnuiu'id  tak- 
wvj^  kieulenant  l'iar\  "s  thinL;^  on  Imaiil.  Second  hoai 
returnitl  iVoni  the  luad  of  tlu-  li.iv,  which  had  heen 
a\\a\  in  si-arth  o|  oiu- ot  iluir  parl\  that  went  hunting; 
and  had  not  titnrned.  (lot  a  search  part\  lo  look 
loi'  him.  i.ienlenant  l'ear\  and  some  I^skimo■^  ^oin^  to 
tln'  head  of  ihi-  l)a\.  .Ship  started  at  .2.  V'  ]'•  "•.,  with 
lonr  l'".skimos  and  I  )r.  Cook  on  Imaid  for  Rohin-^on  I'.av 
to  stall  in  thai  direclion,  thinking  he  mi'^ht  hi-  tluri',  as 
two  l'">kimo  lamilus   ie>ide   there.      S.^^o   p.  m.,  arrixid 


'////•;  /.()<;  ()/■  '/■///■:  kiii-:. 


2\y> 


and  wtiit  (HI  slinir.  lie  Iiad  iiol  hrni  m.'iii.  Sliauud 
1. 1  th(.'  rast  sidi-  of  tlu-  lia\  and  stiil  Iniir  parties  a\va\  in 
ditH'irnt  diurtiiins  on  ilu'  srarcli,  ship  1>  inu;  in  tlu-  l)a\' 
wailini;.  S  p.  ni..  calm  and  idondy.  ii  p.  ni.,  llirci' 
of  llu-  ])art\'  Rtutiud  lia\inL;  shot  two  rtindirr.  hrotinht 
two  skills  and  onr  carcass  of  thi'  nual.  Mi(hii;^ht.  cahn 
and  lini'. 

I'kiD.w,  Aici  sr  H),  A.  M.  —  r.i'.L;ins  i-ahn  and  i'liU'. 
2._V''i'  '•'•-  -dl  the  DartN  utniMud,  hrinj^in^;  no  lidinu;s 
of  thr  missing;  man  Wrhfcff.  IaI  the  slnp  la\  to  in  tin.' 
l)a\.  <■)  a.  m.,  stc-anu-d  ^lo\vl\■  all  aionnd  the  hay  (.wamin- 
in^  till'  sliDU'  wry  closrK  for  tlu-  nii>sinn  man.  Xoon, 
tnrnrd  tlu-  outer  piiiiil  toward  Mc-C<irnut'k  r>a\',  still  (.-xam- 
inin^  tlu-  coast  close,  u;rcat  deal  of  scattered  itx-  in  the 
nucathof  thel)a\.  i  \i.  m.,  arri\-(.-il  ni-arl\  at  the  head  of 
tlu-  l)a\  where  IV-arx's  t'ani])  was  pitched.  Saw  that  all  his 
conipiiiN  Wire- there.  I*iofe»or  Ikilprin  went  oii  shore, 
tlu-\  had  not  seen  an\thin;;  of  the  nnssim.;  man.  held  a 
consultation  as  to  the  ue\l  mode  ol"  search  and  con- 
clnded  for  all  parlies  to  >i,irl  in  differc-nt  directions  140- 
in;;  li\  twos  and  ihrees.  7.,V'  p-  "i.,  left  tlu-  ship  lor 
tlu-  seari'h,  auihori.l  at  the  head  of  tlu-  lia\.  ten  fathoms 
of  water,  thirt\  fathoms  of  caliK-  ou  lari^i-  anchor.  10 
]i.  m.,  li,L;ht  \  ariahle  airs,  fo'^  couiiuL;  in  tlu-  hay.  Mid- 
niL;ht,  fresh  l>ree/e,  thick  murkv   weatlu-r. 

."s  \  rrUM  \\ .  Aii.iS'l'  _'o,  a.m.  —  Ilei^ius  as  \estei-da\. 
"._^n  a.  m.,  lleilpriu's  part\  returned  to  tlu-  ship  \-er\- 
fali;.;ned.  Crew  emp!o\  ed  shiftinL;  t'oal  to  l)Uid-;e-rs,  fdlin;.; 
water,  (.Ic.      N'oou,  do.  weather.      '>  p.  m.,  I<>.l;.u;\  on   the 


250 


/iV  .-ih'i  7/1  s/-:.is. 


\W 


I 


sliDif.  atlniiKil  with  r.iiu.  ii  ]>.  iii..  Iul;  c-lt.ariii,L; olT. 
l*n>rf»ur  Ihil|)iiii  dixickd  lii>  nun.  siudiii^;  a  >(.aicli 
]iait\  (in  laili  ^iilr  nf  ilu  l)a\.  Tliirk,  iloudy  wiatluT. 
Miilnii;l\l,  wratlu  1   llir   >auit.-. 

SrM>\\,  Arci  sr  _' I ,  \.  \i.  —  I'.r.i^iu^  as  yi-Urdas .  ) 
a.  ni.,  winds  noilli,  li.ujlu.  thick  nimk\  wi'atlur.  7-.V' 
a.m.,  1  Irilprin's  SI  airh  ]iart\  irtnins  tn  \\\v  sliip,  nul 
tliR'i' dl"  lVar\ 's  siau'li  ]i.itl\  hnt  no  liilin,L;s  <>l"  tlu' miss- 
ing man.  >".,V'  ;i.in-.  l'iar\  and  tunr  k'.skinms  camr 
1(1  thr  ship  .ifui  fdilN  hours' sra  nil  in. !4  for  ihr  missing 
man  \\  ihotif,  l)rinj.^in]L;  no  lidinijs.  Mali'  and  four  nl" 
thr  iTiw  siarud  lV(  mi  llu'  ship  al  1^15  a.  m.  to  s(.'arch 
ahdiil  ihr  miiiin'aiiis  mar  ihi-  ship.  Xooii,  IV'ar\  \k\\ 
a.'.^ain  lor  Rohiiisoti  l'>a\  to  sl-;irl  llu-  sliori.'  in  hoat. 
•  1  p.  in.,  I', dm  and  liiu  .  Malr  and  parl\  anixi'd  willi  no 
tidings.  5  p.  111.,  Iio\(.'  up  aiK'hor  and  slarlid  for  l\ol>- 
insoii  ll.iN ,  c'.dlin^  on  llu-  way  to  laki-  on  l)oard  two 
ICskiniO',  also  falliii!:^  at  IVar\'s  station  to  rominnnicatt.' 
with  M:s.  lVar\.  i  1  p.  m.,  .mivid  on  tlu'  wrst  sidr  of 
lluhav.  i'io|\ssor  lUilprin  W(.iil  oil  slion-  to  nati\i' 
I^loo  to  tr\'  to  ast'iit.iin  from  tlu'  l'",skiiiios  if  lluir  was 
aii\  tliiii'4  st'Lii  of  llu-  missiii:;  man.  .\fl(.ra  short  linu- 
i-'-turiud  on  ho.ird  with  no  tidings.  Movx-d  ship  up  to 
lu-ad  ol    llu-  li.i\.      MidiiiL^Iit,  (.■aim   and    fiiu-,  la\  iiii;    1)\-. 

MiiM>.\N,  ArcfS'i'  jj.  \.  M.  —  iu-^iiis  calm  and  \\\\v. 
i.V'^iiii-.  I<ii.nt(.-iiaiil  l'(.-.ir\  ,111(1  lioat's  (.'ii-w  canu-  to  tlu- 
ship  to  arr.mv^i.-  with  I'roU-ssor  I  h-ilpriu  as  to  llu-  (la\'s 
si-aridi.  '1  a.  111.,  calm  and  \cr\  line.  <^,^|>  a.  m.,  holli 
p.irlii-s  lift  for  the  shore,   l'car\  \140i1iu;   to    nucl    a    parl\- 


Till':  i.oc  or  Tin:  kiti: 


TSI 


lli;il  wivf  lra\ilinj4  on  llu'  siaii'li  iVoiu  \\w  luad  of 
McCormii'k  r.a\  across  lo  tlu-  luad  of  Rol)iii>oii  Hay. 
N'ooii,  talni  and  \t.iy  fiiu'.  S  p.  m,,  I,iinUiianl  lVar\- 
and  two  l\skiiiios  caiiU'  to  llii- ship  hriiii^iii};  with  thciii 
oiu' of  Ihilprin's  nun  disahk-d  witli  a  spraiiu-d  km.*.'. 
I  I  p.m.,  lUilpriii  and  all  of  both  partiis  anixi-d  ha\in>4 
foinid  Iracis  of  llu'  niissinj:;  man.  Saw  his  tracks  and 
other  tracks  to  i-onxinci'  thcni  he  has  passed  alonj;,  hnt 
no  sii^n  of  him.  Conchi(U<l  to  make  one  more  search 
to-morrow.      Midnij^ht,  calm  and  fine, 

Tri-sit-W,  .\rc.rsT  2^^,  a.  m. — I'.e^ins  as  yi-sti'rda\, 
still  Kinj:;-  1)\-  in  the  hax.  10  a.  ni.,  IVary's  ])art\  left  for 
the  shore  for  another  search.  Stronj^'  bree/.e  from  the 
southward  and  '[\\\k.-.  Xoon,  ditto  weather.  i  p.  m.,  Pro- 
fessor Ileilprin  and  his  ])art>  left  for  the  shore.  Winds 
moderating  a  litlli'.  4  p.  m., weather  the  same.  s.V'p-'"-- 
IVar\'s  part)  retnrned  <;ettin>.;  no  fnrllu'r  tract.'  of  \'er- 
hoelT.  S  p.  m.,  Ileiljirin  and  part\'  retnrned  with  same 
ri'snlt.  Held  a  consultation  and  a,i;reed  1)\-  all  parties 
that  nothing  fnrther  conld  be  done.  <).  i  5  J),  m..  started 
for  IVary's  station  in  McCormick  Uay,  lea\in!L;  a  cache  of 
])ro\isions  at  Kern  Point,  near  CajR'  Robertson  in  case 
tlu'  man  should  turn  nj)  aflir  the  ship  hail  lift.  i  i 
p.  m.,  arrived  at  the  station,  anchored  close  to  the  shore, 
twiKe  fathoms  of  water.      Midnight,  calm   and  fine. 

\Vi;ii\i;.si).w,  Afc.rsi'  j  |,  .\.  m. — lie^ins  as  \tsterda\-. 
K)  a.  m.,  commenced  taking  Pear\'s  things  on  board.  j 
p.  m.,  all  on  board.  ho\-e  npand  started  southward,  bound 
full    speed,        \    p.    m.,     passed     west    end    of      Herbert 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


m  1^  III  2.5 

-0    113,2 


116 


1= 

1.8 


1.25 

1.4 

1.6 

^ 6"   — 

► 

« 


J 


Photograpl"iic 

Sciences 
Corporatiorx 


■^ 


iV 


« 


:\ 


\ 


% 


V 


6^ 


%^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


(p 


.^ 


i 


^^mrmmmmmmmmmmmiiKk 


m 


ii 


252  /N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 

Island.  Numerous  iccbcrjj^s  drifting  out  of  Inglcficld 
Gulf.  6  p.  ni.,  calm  and  fine.  Ship  going  full  speed. 
7.45  p.  m.,  passed  Cape  Parry.  Fresh  breeze  from  \V. 
vS.  \V.  vSteering  for  Saunders'  Island.  Midnight,  light 
breeze  from  S.  W.    Thick,  hazy  weather. 


ICi:  lUCRCS    IN    WHAI,!'.    SOUND. 

Thursday,  ArcrsT  2^,  a.  m. — IJegins  calm  and  fine. 
1.15  a.m.,  passed  the  north  end  of  Saunders'  Island 
going  towards  North  Star  Ikiy  to  Kskimo  settlement. 
3.45  a.  m.,  olT  the  mouth  of  the  ba\-,  which  was  full  of 
ice  and  not  able  to  get  in.  Turned  ship  out  and  steamed 
full  speed  for  CajK-  York,  loose  panned  ice  all  along  the 
south  part  of  the  bay.  3  a.  m.,  passed  Cape  Atholl.  9 
a.  m.,  at  Conical  Rock.      Heavy  icebergs  in  abundance, 


THE  LOC.   OF  THE  KITE. 


f53 


also  drift  ice  vcr\'  tliick.  Xoon,  slroii.i;'  brccv.c,  luuilcd 
sliip  to  the  southward  where  ice  was  looser  and  iceherjj^s 
not  so  thick.  4  p.  m.,  stroni^  breeze  from  ,S.  W.  with 
rain.  Hauled  ship  to  .S.  W.  Xo  i)()ssil)ilit\'  of  i^ettin^ 
to  Cape  York,  decided  to  proceed  to  Disko.  6  ]).  ui., 
Cape  York  \\.  1)\'  vS.  about  forts-  miles.  7  p.  ni.,  wind 
south,  lijT^ht  snow  showers,  a  \-erN-  little  ice  in  si^ht  to 
the  ,S.  \V.  10  ]).  m.,  ice  thick.  Strong  breeze  with 
snow  .showers.  I\Iidui<4ht,  t^ot  in  ^chxI  lakes  of  water. 
Weather  ditto. 

Friday,  Arc.r.s'r  26,  a.  m. — Iie,i;ins  wind  moderatin_n-. 
Steaming  through  large  lakes  of  wati'r  and  skirts  of  ice. 
8  a.  m.,  calm  with  light  snow.  Steaming  through  lakes 
and  loose  ice  to  vS.  W.  following  the  leads  as  near  the 
the  course  as  j^ossible.  Noon,  tliiek  clonds-  weather.  Ice 
thick.  2  p.  m.,sawa  I\)lar  be;ir  on  an  ice  lloe,  turned 
the  shii)  towards  him,  and  after  a  \i»lle\'  of  twenty-fi\-e 
rifle  shots,  we  killed  him.  .Steamed  along-side  the  floe  and 
hoisted  him  on  board.  4  p.  m.,  shot  a  lioode<l  seal, 
lowered  the  boat  and  brought  it  on  bo.ird.  lioth  the 
seal  and  bear  were  skinned  for  specimeu>  for  the  .\cadem\ . 
Light  breeze  from  the  vS.  \\.  Ice  scattered.  9.3')  ]>.  ni., 
fresh  breeze,  got  clear  of  ice,  course  vS.  W.  by  ,S.  Cloudy 
weather.  Lam])  lit  in  the  cabin  at  9.30  p.  m.  for  the 
first  time  since  Juh'  12.  Midnight,  ditto  weather,  ice 
scattered. 

SaTUKD-VV,  .Vrcrs'l'  27,  a.  m. — begins  fresh  breeze 
from  the  southward  and  thick  cold  weather.  1.30  a.  m., 
got  clear  of  the    ice.      Course  S.    \V.  by  ,S.     Steaming 


'/;>>'  .'V'"  '>''''^^m!mmmfiimii§ 


254 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


|ih. 


' 


about  six  knots.  <S  a.  m.,  moderate  weather  with  thick 
fog,  going  full  speed.  Noon,  calm,  fog  clears  a  little. 
Sun  .showing  at  times.  Latitude,  by  indifferent  observa- 
tion, 72°.  Altered  course  to  south.  4  p.  m.,  rain,  thick 
fog.  8  p.  m.,  weather  the  same.  Went  dead  slow. 
Heavy  rain.  11.30  p.  ni.,  sudden  squall  from  vS.  \V. 
Saw  Kingartak  Island  on  ])ort  bow  and  Disko  Island 
on  starboard  bow.  Course  S.  \V.  Went  ahead  full 
speed.     Midnight,  .strong  wind  and  cloudy. 

Si'XD.w,  August  28,  .\.  m. — Regius  increasing  wind 
and  sea  from  S.  W.  4  a.  m.,  .ship  laboring  against  a 
heavy  head,  and  making  very  little  headway.  Turned 
ship's  head  toward  Disko  Island,  close  to  the  land. 
8  a.  m. ,  passed  between  the  island  and  the  main  laud 
along  the  coast  toward  Sigguk  Point,  going  south. 
Wind  getting  moderate  to  X.  W.  11  a.  m. ,  passed  the 
point.  11.30  a.  m.,  pas.sed  Cape  Crouston.  winds  X.  E. , 
light,  thick,  cloudy  weather  ;  numerous  icebergs. 
Shaped  course  S.  W.  by  W.  for  Waigate  Strait. 
W^ind  freshening,  wind  moderating  and  clearing  up. 
Steamed  over  toward  Disko  Island,  taking  the  strait. 
10  p.  ni.,  .squally  weather,  with  showers  of  sleet,  snow 
and  hail,  which  continued  mitil  midnight. 

]\Io.\i)AV,  .Vi'C.r.sT  29,  A.  M. — Begins  strong  breeze 
from  southward,  with  showers  of  .sleet.  Close  to  north 
side  of  Disko  Island.  Steering  half-speed  through  the 
strait.  2  a.  m.,  more  moderate  and  weather  clearing. 
Went  full  speed,  heavy  current  setting  northward 
through  the  strait.     4  a.  m.,  winds  increasing  to  strongs 


THE  LOG  OF  THE  KITE. 


255 


not  making  much  headway.  6  a.  m.,  moderating.  10 
a.  ni. ,  anchored  in  a  small  harbor  at  the  south  end  of 
the  strait  on  the  east  .side.  All  the  parties  went  on 
shore  collecting  specimens.  [Moderate  breeze  and 
cloudy.  4.30  p.  m.,  parties  returned  on  board,  bring  a 
large  collection  of  fossils.  6  \).  m.,  nothing  more  to 
do.  Hove  up  and  started  for  Tyievely  or  (iodhavn. 
Strong  breeze  from  S.  \V.  from  nine  o'clock  until 
midnight.  Midnight,  blowing  strong,  with  slu)wers  of 
snow  and  sleet. 

TrK.SDAV,  Ai'c.rsT  30,  a.  m. — Regius  strong  wiiul, 
with  showers  of  snow.  Passed  around  vS.  Iv.  corner 
Disko  Island.  8. 30  a.  m. ,  anchored  at  Lievely.  vSaluted 
the  inspector  b>-  firing  our  small  cannon,  which  was 
answered  with  six  from  the  shore.  11  a.  m.,  fine 
weather.  Inspector,  wife  and  daughter  paid  the  ship  a 
visit,  invited  the  party  on  shore  and  left.  Crew  busily 
emploved  shifting  coal  to  bunkers.  4  p.  m.,  light 
breeze  from  the  westward  and  very  fine.  5  j).  m., 
finished  coaling,  cleared  up  decks  and  finished  work  for 
the  dav.      ^Midnight,  calm  and  fine. 

WkdxivSDAV,  ArciuST  31,  .\.  m. — IJegins  as  yester- 
day. <S  a.  m.,  light  lu'ceze  from  the  southward.  Crew 
employed  filling  water.  lunployed  Eskimo  to  put 
twenty  tons  l)allast  on  board.  Noon,  showers.  4  p.  m., 
snow.  6  p.  m.,  fresh  breeze  from  the  southward.  8 
p.  m. ,  calm  and  fine.     ^lidnight,  same  weather. 

Thursday,  SKPTKMnKR  i,  a.  ^^. — Begins  calm  and 
fine.     3   a.  m.,  hove  up  and  steamed  out  of  Godhavn 


256 


JN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


li'. 


'I 


])()Uii(l  south  to  Godthaal).  8  a.  in.,  fre^li  breeze  from 
X.  \V.  Set  all  fore  and  aft  canvas.  Xoon,  fine  ;  lati- 
tude 68°  34'  X.  Steaniin<;  seven  miles  per  hour.  4 
p.  m.,  .same  weather.      ]\iidni<.,dit,  same  weather. 

Friday,  Septkmbkr  2,  a.  m. — Beo-ins  calm  and 
fine.  2  a.  m.,  sr.w  a  small  strins^  of  ice.  Hove  to  for 
daylight.  4  a.  m.,  went  ahead  full  speed  down  the 
coast.  Xo  ice  in  sight  but  a  few  bergs.  8.30  a.  m., 
took  on  board  an  Eskimo  pilot  and  steered  for  the 
harbor.  9  a.  m.,  six  more  Eskimos  got  on  board,  took 
their  kajaks  on  deck  and  went  full  speed  for  the  port. 
Fresh  breeze  from  the  N.  W. ,  and  fine.  11.30  a.  m., 
anchored  at  Godthaab  ship's  haven,  seven  fathoms  of 
water,  twenty  fathoms  of  cable  on  port  deck.  Was 
visited  by  the  Governor  and  staff.  2  p.  m. ,  all  the  party 
went  on  shore.  Crew  employed  filling  bunkers,  filling 
water,  etc.  10.30  p.  m.,  all  the  party  returned  ;  seemed 
to  have  enjoyed  their  visit  on  shore.  i\Iidnight,  calm 
and  fine. 

Saturday,  Skptkmbkr  3,  a.m. — Begins  as  yesterday. 
9  a.m.,  all  the  party  went  ashore.  Ship  at  anchor  in 
Ciodthaab  ship's  haven.  ^lidnight,  light  airs  from  N.  E. 
All  the  party  returned. 

SuxDA^',  Skptkmbkr  4,  a.  m. — Begins  calm  and  fine. 
9  a.  m.,  light  breeze  from  X.  E. ,  all  the  party  went  on 
shore  to  attend  public  worship,  i  p.  m.,  some  of  the 
party  returned  on  board  and  others  stayed  on  shore. 
3  p.  m.,  all  went  on  shore  and  attended  church,  all 
dined  on  shore,  after  which  the  day  was  finished  with  a 


THE  lAX;  OF  THE  KITE. 


'-57 


dance.  Midnij^ht,  fresh  breeze  from  the  eastward,  and 
cloudy. 

Monday,  vSiU'Tiaini';?-  5,  a.  m. — Beoins  as  >-e.sterday. 
12.30  a.  ni.,  all  the  party  came  on  board  dcli.^;htcd  with 
the  day's  doin<;s.  9  a.  ni.,  <^ot  up  steam  and  wei<;hed 
anchor,  and  steamed  around  opposite  the  inspector's 
settlement  where  all  the  party  went  on  shore  at  10.45 
a.  m.  Noon,  the  party  returned  from  the  shore,  inspec- 
tor, ji^overnor  and  minister,  also  their  wives  and  friends 
remained  half  hour  and  left  for  the  shore  with  a  salute 
from  our  gun,  was  also  answered  on  shore  with  cheers 
and  wavin*;^  of  handkerchiefs.  vSteamed  out  of  the  bay. 
1.30  p.  m. ,  passed  Jakobsholm  Island,  put  out  patent 
log  and  set  course  W.  by  S.  Winds  north  and  strong, 
with  pa.ssing  clouds.  vSet  main  topmast  and  middle  fore 
topmast  stay  sails.  3  p.m.,  set  lower  and  upper  top- 
sails, pa.ssing  .several  icebergs.  8  p.  m.,  fift>'  miles, 
stung  breeze  from  north,  and  cloudy.  Distance  run 
from  8  p.  m.  to  midnight,  thirty  miles,  fresh  breeze  and 
cloudy. 

TrK.SD.vv,  SivPTKMHKR  6,  A.  M. — Begins  strong  breeze 
from  the  northward,  and  cloudy.  4  a.  m.,  moderate, 
6  a.  m.,  light  breeze  from  N.  W.  Stowed  the  topsails. 
Noon,  light  breeze  from  the  southward.  Sun  obscure. 
3  p.  m.,  breeze  up  from  S.  K.  Set  the  lower  and  upper 
topsails,  all  fore  and  aft  canvas  set.  4  p.  m.,  breeze 
increasing,  with  cloudy  weather.  Set  foretop  gallant 
sail.  8  p.  m.,  winds  increasing.  Stowed  top-gallant 
sail    and     upper-top-gallant    sail.        Midnight,    stowed 


■"^'mw^m^^mmmmmmmmmiltlli 


258 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


li" 


W 


\W 


ifi 


1: 


gallant  and  maintop-gallant  stay  sails.     Wind  increasing 
with  snow  showers. 

WkdnKvSDAV,  Shi'TKMhkr  7,  A.  .M. — Begins  wind  in- 
creasing. Mist  showers  from  the  eastward.  4  a.  m., 
gale  northerly  with  heavy  head  .sea  shipping  nuich 
water,  stowed  npper  topsails.  8  a.  m.,  strong  gale 
from  E.  X.  PC.,  with  rain.  Conrse  S.  W.  by  W.  Xoon, 
winds  N.  E. ,  still  blowing,  clearing  np,  altered  conrse 
to  S.  W.  by  S.,  making  seven  and  one-half  knots  per 
hour.  6  p.  ni.,  moderating,  sky  clearing.  10  p.  m., 
moderating.  Set  npjKM-  topsail  and  main  top-gallant 
stay  sails.      INIidnight,  fine,  set  gaff  topsail  and  spanker. 

Thur.sday,  SHPTivMr.i:R  8,  A.  M. — Begins  steady 
breeze  and  fine.  Course  vS.  \V.,  making  seven  and  a 
half  knots  per  hour.  2  a.  m.,  showery.  8  a.  m.,  sky 
cleared  very  fine.  Xoon,  do.  weather.  Latitude  obser- 
vation 55°  53'  X.  P.  M.,  crew  employed  shifting  coal 
to  bunkers.  6  p.  m.,  calm,  saw  the  land  bearing  \V. , 
which  proved  to  be  Cape  Harrison,  about  twenty  miles 
distant.  Altered  course  to  S.  by  E.  8  p.  m.,  light 
breeze  from  S.  b>'  W.  Stowed  fore  and  aft  canvas, 
going  full  speed.  Cloudy  weather.  Midnight,  light 
breeze  from  the  eastward  and  cloudy. 

Friday,  Skptkmhkr  9,  a.  m. — Begins  light  breeze 
from  the  eastward  and  cloudy.  Set  fore  and  aft  can- 
vas. 2.30  a.  m.,  passed  a  barkentine  bound  north. 
6  a.  m.,  sky  clearing.  10  a.  m.,  fine.  Xoon,  do. 
weather.  Saw  Woolf  Islands  bearing  X.  W.  Latitude 
observation  53°  39'  X.    1.40  p.  m.,  passed  around  Hill 


THE  LOG  or  THE  KITE. 


259 


Island.  Set  patent  log  conrse  S.  W.,  one-half  vS.  Wind 
N.  by  E.  Steady  breeze.  Saw  several  schooners  ruiniing 
sontli  on  the  inside.  4.30  p.  ni.,  Hawks  Island  at  \V. 
by  X.  ten  miles.  Altered  conrse  to  S.  by  W.  Fresh 
breeze  from  the  northward.  S  p.  ni.,  fine.  Several 
fore  and  aft  schooners  in  company  bonnd  sonth.  Mid- 
night, light  breeze  and  fine. 

Saturday,  Skptkmhkk  10,  a.  m. — Begins  light  breeze 
from  the  northward  and  fine  weather.  2  a.  m.,  pas.sed 
two  steamers  bonnd  east.  4  a.  m.,  weather  do.,  fresh 
breeze.  Set  all  possible  sail.  Ship  making  seven  and 
a  half  knots  per  honr.  All  onr  party  on  deck  employed 
cleaning  paint  work,  etc.  ]\Iidnight,  steady  breeze  and 
fine.     Altered  conrse  to  S.  S.  W. 

Sunday,  Skptkmiskr  11,  a.  m. — Begins  steady  breeze 
and  fine.  8  a.  m. ,  altered  conrse  to  S.  W.  by  W.  Saw 
Baccalien  bearing  S.  W.  by  W.  one-half  W.  11.30  a.  m., 
passed  sonth  end  of  Baccalien.  4.30  p.  m.,  arrived  at 
St.  Johns,  hanled  ship  to  owner's  wharfend.  Mid- 
night, calm  and  fine.  Night  watchman  employed  from 
the  shore. 

Monday,  September  12,  a.  m. — Begins  moderate 
breeze  and  fine.  8  a.  m.,  do.  weather.  Noon,  em- 
ployed a  diver  to  examine  the  ship's  bottom.  After  a 
carefnl  examination  reported  nothing  serions  amiss. 
Lloyd's  snrveyor  passed  her  to  make  a  voyage  to  United 
States.     Midnight,  fine,  night  watchman  employed. 

Tuesday,  September  13,  a.  m. — Begins  moderate 
breeze  from  the  westward  and  fine.     6  a.  m.,  shifted 


■    -v  - 
%  - 

I''  I 


260 


IN  ARTCIC  SEAS. 


,H, 


tl; 


m 


around  to  berth  for  coalin<r.  S  a.  m.,  j^'oplc  I'liiployed 
from  the  short'  pntliii}^  coal  on  hoard.  4  p.  ni.,  finished 
coalinj^-.  6  p.  ni.,  watchman  cmi)lo\cd  from  the  shore. 
Mi(hii}4lit,  moderate  and  fine. 

WkdM'.sdav,  vSin-'ri'MiiiCK  14,  a.  m. — IJej^ins  clear. 
Employed  <;ettin_i;-  ship  read\-  for  sea.  Xoon,  li,<;ht 
breeze  from  vS.  Iv  4  \^,  m.,  backed  ont  from  the  wharf 
with  pilot  on  board.  Steamed  down  the  harbor  amid 
.cheers  and  wavin;;  of  handkerchiefs  from  the  people  on 
shore.  4.30  p.  m. ,  passed  thronj^h  the  Narrows.  5  p.  m., 
pas.sed  Cape  .Spear  and  shaped  course  S.  W.  ]i  S.  Put 
out  jxitent  lo*^.  Fresh  brec/.e  from  W.  S.  W.  10  p.  m., 
pa.ssed  l'air\land  Head  Li^ht.  Midnight,  tliick,  hazy 
weather. 

Thir.sdav,     SkpTK.mhhr     15,    A.   M. — Begins    fresh 

breeze    from    S.  W.       Thick,   hazy   weather.      2  a.  m., 

clear.      Cai)e  Race  light  W.  X.  VV.  about  six  miles.      8 

a.  m.,   thick    fog,   whistle    blowing   at    short    intervals. 

10  a.  m.,  fog  lifted,  saw  a  schooner  bound  east,  lumber 

laden.  Noon,  passing  fogs,  fresh  breeze  from  the 
southward.      Set  all  fore  and  aft  canvas.      Kngines  full 

speed.  iCst.  distance  run  from  Cape  Race  seventy  miles, 
course  \V.  ij  S.  4  p.  m.,  winds  increasing.  6  p.  m., 
rain  showers  with  strong  breeze.  F'urled  upper  main- 
top-gal laut-sta>sail  and  ga(T-topsail.  ^lidnight,  heavy 
rain. 

Friday,  Skptkmbkr  16,  a.  m. — Begins  strong  breeze 
from  the  southward.  Heavy  side  sea.  2  a.  m. ,  heavy 
rain  attended  with   much  lightning  to  the  southward. 


THE  LOC.  Oi-   THE  KITE. 


261 


Stowed  lower  iiiain-U)p-.i;allaiit-staysail  and  staiulin>;  jib. 

5  a.  111.,  rain  ckariii!:;  olT.  Xooii,  siuldeii  chaii<;e  from  the 
westward.  Stowed  all  fore  and  aft  canvas.  Hea\\'  side- 
roll.  Whole  distance  made  from  ycsterda>-  noon,  141 
miles.  Ship  }j;oin<;-  her  course  W.  '.•  S.  2  p.  111..  fresh 
breeze  from  \V.  X.  \V.  and  clear  sk\-.  vSea  fallin<^'^  down. 
4  p.  m.,  .sounded  twent\-one  fathoms,  <;ray  sand  and 
shells.  S  ]).  111.,  fresh  breeze  from  the  westward. 
Ship  steeriuj^  four  knots.  vSouuded  twenty-three 
fathoms  on  south  part  of  Ikuiquereau.  Midnight,  do. 
weather.  Latitude  by  indifTerent  observation  45°  i'  X. 
Engines  full  s])eed. 

Sati'RD.w,  vSi';i'Ti;.'\riiKK  17,  a.  m. — Ik'jjj^ius  fresh  breeze 
and  cloudy.  4  a.  m.,  passed  a  fisherman  at  anchor. 
Wind  west.  Xoon,  fine.  Whole  distance  run  from 
yesterday  noon,  107  miles.  Latitude  observation  43^' 
4.S'.  Crew  employed  shiftinj>;coal  from  hold  to  bunkers. 
4  p.  111.,    passed    an    American    fisherman    bound    cast. 

6  p.  m.,  fresh  breeze  from  west.  vSmooth  water,  altered 
course  to  west.  ^liduij^ht,  do.  weather.  Kuoincs  full 
speed. 

Sunday,  Si:ptkmrkr  iS,  a.  m. — Bcj^ius  stroiio;  breeze 
from  the  westward  and  fine  weather.  <S  a.  m.,  do. 
weather.  Xo  duty,  bcinjj^  the  vSabbath.  Xoou,  stron.L; 
breeze  and  fine.  Latitude  obs.  42^  53'  Xorth  lonj^itude 
by  chronometer.  4  p.m.,  62°  '>y'^'  West.  S  p.  m.,  do. 
weather,  makiii<i[  four  knots  per  hour.  Wind  incivasiuir 
a  little.  Midni<j;-ht,  heavy  head  sea  inakin«^  three  knots 
per  hour.     Euj^ines  goin,i;-  full  speed. 


262 


IN  ARCTIC  SFAS. 


^ 


t  ■ 


MoXDAY,  SHi''n;Mi!i".i<  19,  a.  m. — Begins  as  yesterday, 
6  a.  in.,  stroM}^  bivf/.c,  ship  not  niakinj^^  much  way. 
Set  fore  and  aft  canvas  niakin<^  W.  hy  X.  course.  S 
a.  ni.,  do.  weather  and  very  fine.  10  a.  ni.,  Allen  line 
steamer  passed  Kast,  Harj^en  in  sij^ht,  reachinj^  south. 
Xoon,  fresh  breeze  from  W.  vS.  W.  and  fine.  Lat.  obs. 
42°  29'  N.  Whole  distance  by  patent  lo<;,  loi  miles, 
p.  m.,  crew  emjiloyed  shiftinjj^  coal  from  hold  to  biuikers. 
5]).  m.,  moderating;  and  cloudy.  vStowed  fore  and  aft 
canvas,  j^ave  coin^se  W.  by  S.  ji  S.  S  p.  m.,  few 
flashes  of  li<;htuini;  to  the  westward.  1 1  \).  m.,  wind  veer- 
ing to  N.  E.  Midni^dit,  fresh  breeze  from  X.  K.  with 
.showers  of  rain  and  heavy  lightnin<;. 

Tuesday,  Ski'TKMijkr  20,  a.  m. — Begins  increasing 
breeze  from  X.  K.  with  heavy  rain  showers  and  heavy 
flashes  of  lightning.  Set  main  topnmst  and  middle 
staysails.  4  a.  m.,  set  spanker  and  fore  topmast  stay- 
.sails,  6  a.m.,  weather  clearing  ofT.  Wind  X.  X.  E. 
Set  lower  topsail.  9  a.  m.,  moderating  and  fine.  Set 
foresail,  upper  topsail  and  main-top-gallant-staysail. 
Noon,  steady  breeze  and  clear  sky.  Set  fore-topsail  and 
gaff-topsail.  Whole  distance  per  patent  log,  156  miles. 
Lat.  obs.  41°  19'  X.  4  p.  m.,  moderating.  Midnight, 
moderate  and  flue.  Engines  going  full  speed.  Saw  a 
New  York  pilot  boat. 

WKDXK.SDAV,  Sia'TKMHHR  21,  A.  M. — Begins  Steady 
breeze  from  X.  E.,  and  clear  sky.  2  p.  m. ,  .saw  two 
steamers  bound  east.  8  a.  m.,  moderate,  veering  around 
to  the  S.  E.     8  a.   m.,  stopped    the   engines   to   renew 


IIOMIv    AC.AIN  " — TItp;    "Krri:"AT    Till':    UIIAKI'    in    1'IIII.AI)1:I.1'HIA. 


\h 


<" """"'  .i-«»'>'?M<nnpipiH|ii||||||| 


1. 


r,     I 


THE  LOG  OF  THE  KITE. 


263 


circnlatincr  pmnp  valve.  Delayed  one  hour  and  started 
ao;ain.  Noon,  strong-  light  breeze  from  X.  E.,  and  fine. 
Latitude  obs.,  39°  49'  X.  whole  distance  run  for 
the  twenty-four  hours,  1S4  miles.  P.  .M.,  fine,  crew 
employed  shiftingr  coal  to  bunkers.  :\ri(lnight,  light 
breeze  from  S.  E.,  all  possible  sail  set.  Sounded  ninety- 
one  fathoms. 

Thursday,  Septkmrkr  22,  a.  M.—Hcgins  light  breeze 
from  the  S.  E.,  and  fine.  2  a.  m.,  cloudy.  4  a.  m., 
sounded  forty-three  fathoms.  6  a.  m.,  light  rain  showers. 
8  a.  111.,  sounded  thirty-one  fathoms,  grey  sand  and 
shells.  Altered  course  to  W.  b\-  S.  Xoon,  cloudy. 
Whole  distance  run,  180  miles.  r.  10  p.  m.,  took  on 
board  Philadelphia  pilot,  and  steered  for  the  Delaware. 
3  p.  m.,  passed  close  by  Five  Fathom  Shoal  light  vessel. 


[kxd  ok  log.] 


%^     ;i' 


;*' 


if' 


,rr 


i 


■     '■  liijmmmmmmmmHHIKtKi 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEniTlON. 

(For  the  narrative  of  the  "  Relief  of  Peary"  we  are  indebted  to 
Wm.  E.  Meehan,  Esq.,  Associate  Editor  of  the  Philadelphia  "  Public 
Ledger,"  who  was  the  botanist  of  the  relief  expedition.) 


CHAPTER    I 


Thk   Rei.ikf  Expkdition-.— Its  Coxckptkin.— Goons  for  Frkk 

DlSTRIHUTKJN    AMONG     Till:      XoRTHKRN     IvSKIMOS.  — SkI'TCMHS 
OK   THK   MKMUERS   of   THU   Kxi'EDITlON. 

^T^HK  West  Greenland  Expedition  had  scarcely 
-L  returned  from  IMcCorniick  P,a\-  when  nian\-  people 
be^an  expressino;  fears  for  the  safet\-  of  the  Pear\-  jxirty. 
These  fears  were  parth-  the  result  of  a  srcneral  belief, 
grounded  on  the  various  books  of  Arctic  travel,  that 
lengthy  residence  in  Xorth  Greenland  was  neces- 
sarily attended  by  frightful  hardships,  and  partly 
the  effect  of  numerous  newspaper  articles  which 
took  a  pessimistic  view  of  the  situation.  It  was  argued 
by  the  writers  of  these  articles  that  Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Pearv 
and  their  companions  had  not  been  supplied  with 
sufficient  provisions  and  fuel  to  carry  them  through  the 
rigors  of  an  Arctic  winter  ;  that  the  accident  by  which 
Lieut.  Peary  broke  his  leg  in  Melville  Pay,  on  his  way 
north,  would  not  only  interfere  with  his  proposed  journey 
in  the  spring  over  the  inland  ice,  but  actually  jeopardize 


.  imum'iJimmmmmtmmmm 


268 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


Ml 


% 


'F 


'1: 


the  lives  of  the  wliolc  party,  and  lastly,  that  if  the 
inenibcrs  of  the  expedition  did  pass  throui^h  the  winter 
without  freezing-  or  starvin,";  to  death,  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  them  to  make  a  safe  retreat  in  open  boats  from 
McCormick  Bay  to  Upernavik,  a  distance  of  more  than 
600  miles. 

Those  who  were  best  acquainted  with  the  Arctic 
re.i(ions  and  with  Lieut.  Peary  and  with  the  careful  con- 
sideration he  had  given  the  matter  of  provisions  and  fuel 
had  no  concern  as  to  his  or  his  companions  safety  duriuj^ 
the  lon.i^-  winter  night  in  Greenland.  But  the  fears  that 
the  party  could  not  successfully  make  its  way  south- 
wardly through  the  dangerous  ice-packed  Melville 
Hay  in  ojien  whale  1)oats  seemed  well  founded  to 
almost  everyone.  Morever,  the  proposed  journey  seemed 
to  many  to  have  added  precariousness  when  it  was 
pointed  out  that  the  members  of  Lieut.  Peary's  party 
were  not  accustomed  to  the  kind  of  craft  they  would  be 
obliged  to  use,  and  that  as  a  consequence,  however 
hardy  they  might  be  in  other  respects,  they  would  uot 
be  able  to  stand  the  strain  demanded  of  them.  Among 
those  who  held  these  view\s  concerning  the  boat  journey 
were  many  members  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  vSciences, 
and  thev  fiuallv  discussed  the  advisabilitv  of  sending  an 
expedition  to  the  relief  of  the  explorers,  and  in  the  end 
formallv  made  such  a  proposition  at  one  of  the  winter 
meetings.  There  were  a  few  slight  objections  raised  by 
some  at  the  outset,  but  these  were  over-ruled,  and  in 
March,  1892,  the  x\cademy  of  Natural  Sciences  decided 


I  i 


THE  PEARY  RElJIll-  EXPEDITION. 


269 


that  a  relief  party  should  Ik-  sent  out  under  its  auspices, 
with  the  proviso,  however,  that  the  funds  required  should 
be  raised  by  subscription.  Professor  Au<;elo  Heilprin, 
who  had  made  an  efficient  liead  of  the  West  Cxreenland 
Expedition  in  iSc^i,  was  appointed  leader  of  the  one 
now  decided  upon.  It  received  the  title  of  the  Peary 
Relief  Exi)edition,  and  the  scientific  body  fosterinjj;'  it 
apjx)inted  a  committee  consistiui^  of  Professor  Anj^elo 
Heilprin,  chairman  ;  Cravin  P).  Hart,  Uselma  C.  Smith, 
Dr.  Benjamin  Sharp,  and  Dr.  Dixon  to  assist  in  raisinji; 
the  funds  and  in  makiuj^  the  necessary  arran,y;'enients  for 
the  \-oyai>e. 

Althoui^h  $10,000  was  the  sum  named  as  needed,  that 
amount  was  practically  raised  by  June  i,  and  the  A'/A', 
the  staunch  little  vessel  which  had  taken  the  North 
Greenland  and  the  West  (Greenland  expeditions  the  pre- 
vious year,  was  chartered  in  St.  Johns,  and  j^cniai 
Captain  Richard  Pike,  of  Harbor  (irace,  Newfoundland, 
who  had  proved  his  skill  in  Arctic  navi<;ation  on  the 
first  voyao;e  of  the  A'/A', was  aj^ain  secured  as  its  master. 

In  the  meantime  Dr.  Joseph  T.  Rothrock,  of  West 
Chester,  who  is  prominently  known  in  Philadelphia  as  a 
lecturer  on  botanical  topics,  conceived  the  hapj)y  and 
philanthropic  idea  of  sendinir  a  quantity  of  wood  for 
slcd<res,  kajaks  and  harjwous  ;  of  iron  spear  heads  and 
household  utensils,  to  be  distributed  as  i^ifts  amou.<,»-  the 
Eskimos,  whose  settlements  are  on  the  west  coast  of 
Greenland,  at  Cajx'  York  and  abo\-e.  As  trees  are 
unknown    so    far    north,  and    as    the    people    have    no 


270 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


>1" 


ii' 


facilities  for  smelting  what  little  iron  the  country 
yields,  these  articles  would  be  invaluable  to  them  in  their 
struggle  for  existence  ;  besides,  their  good-will  and 
friendly  disposition  might  be  of  incalculable  service  to 
the  relief  party  in  furthering  the  object  of  their  setting 
out.  It  is,  therefore,  little  wonder  that  Dr.  Rothrock's 
benevolent  scheme  met  with  immediate  and  cordial  sup- 


WATCHING   FOR   SKAI,. 

port.  From  well-known  residents  of  his  home,  in  West 
Chester,  came  generous  contributions.  In  Philadelphia, 
Professor  Edwin  J.  Houston,  head  of  the  Department  of 
Physical  Oeograpln'  and  Natural  Philoso])hy  at  the 
Central  High  School,  was  perhaps  the  most  interested 
in  this  proposed  good  work,   and   through  him  a  large 


(I, 


H 


Tin-:  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDiriON. 


271 


qnantit\-  of  articles  and  considt'rahlc  money  was  contri- 
buted.     Professor  Heilprin,  on  the  part  of  tlie  members 
of    the    relief    expedition,     cheerfnlh' 
promised  to  faithfulK-    carry   out    the 
wishes  of  the  donors.      Into  his  charjij-e 
were  _t;iven  six  Arctic  sleds,  twenty-five 
spears    made    from     files    donated    bv 
Hoopes,    Ih'other  »S:    ■    adinj^ton,    100 
IT-s^^l'^^S'):^  liickor_\-     spear     handles,     fort\'-eij;lit 
\  ''*'         spools  of  copper    wire,     1 2(i    butcher 

knives,  thirt\"-two  poiinds  of  ho()]> 
iron,  loS  thimbles,  1000  assorted  needles,  a  <^reat  num- 
ber of  files  of    various   sizes  and   patterns,    al)out   two 


dozen   iron   kettles,  a   dozen  cleavers,  two  dozen  saws, 

many    scis.sors,    thimbles,    hammers,    braces    and    bit.s, 

planes,  and  a  lar^e  quantity 
of  cut  lumber. 

The  \cad  mu\-  of  Natural 
vScieuces,  besides  entrustinir 
the  leadership  of  the  expedi- 
tion   to    Professor   Heilprin, 

oave  another  proof  of  its  confiiknce  in  him  by  leaxin^; 

to   his  judgment    the    selection    of   those   who   were   to 

18 


m 


^""^mimm^mmmm 


■■M 


372 


IN  A/^CTIC  SEAS. 


m 


% 


acconipaiiN-  him,  and  Ik-  chose  the  roHowinj^  as  his  cotn- 
panioiis  : 

Hfnr\-  (i.  r.ryaut,  srcoiul  in  connnand.  Althoui^h  a 
yoiuiL;  man,  he  lias  a  j^ood  record  as  a  li\ueler,  lia\in}^ 
journeyed  oxer  Northern  Africa  and  ahnost  e\er\' 
country  in  luirope,  and  ]>retty  nuich  the  whole  of  the 
United  .States.  His  greatest  achie\'enient,  ho\ve\er, 
was  in  1S91,  when  he  led  a  small  part\-  to  the  (ireal 
Falls  of  Labrador,  350  miles  into  the  interior  of  that 
almost  unknown  country,  and  was  the  Hrst  to  ascer- 
tain their  heii^ht,  316  feet.  Pre\ious  to  his  visit, 
hut  two  white  men  had  e\ei  seen  this  <;reat  body  of 
water. 

William  Iv  Meehau  is  an  associate  editor  of  the  Phila- 
delphia I'liblic  lA(i<:;ii\  and  was  its  staff  correspondent  on 
the  vt)\a,ne.  He  is  a  son  of  Professor  Thonuis  Meehau, 
of  (iermantowu,  vice-president  of  the  academy  and  a 
.scientist  of  note.  To  him  w;is  entrusted  the  botanical 
work  of  the  expedition. 

F.  W.  Stokes,  the  third  member  of  the  jxirtN',  is  an 
artist.  He  was  cn5>ai;ed  by  the  publishers  of  Scr/hiivrs' 
A/ai^aziin'  to  make  sketches  for  them  durin_^-  the  voya,i>e, 
and  all  the  time  that  coidd  be  spared  fu)m  his  duties  as 
a  member  of  the  expedition  were  to  be  devoted  to  that 
pur]K)se. 

Albert  White  \'orse  is  the  exchauj^e  editor  of  the 
Philadel])hia  /'rcss. 

Sanmel  J.  luitrikin,  the  photographer  of  the  ])artN-, 
is   a   native  of  this   State.       Until   a  \ear  a,i;o    he    was 


:i:>; 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEPl  I  ION 


-/,•> 


vSu|)(.rintc'ii(k'iit  of  Iiuhistrics  in  the  vScliofitld  Xonual 
and  Iiuluslrial  vSc1uh)1  al  Aikc'ii,  vSouth  Cadina. 

Dr.  Jackson  M.  ]\Iills,  the  sur«;von  and  i)h\sicMan  of 
the  i)arty,  is  a  natiw  of  Detroii,  Mich.,  l)ut  for  tlic  jjast 
four  years  he  has  resided  in  Xew  York. 

Charles  Ivlward  Mite,  tlie  taxidermist  of  the  exjiedi- 
tion,  was  for  some  time  assistant  to  Professor  Dyche  in 
the  State  rni\ersit\  of  Kansas. 


■■■■■■I 


ciiai'TI':r  II 


TlIlC  STAKT.— TlIK   MiKANDA.  — I'Kcm    HK()0KI,VN  to   IIamkax  — 

In  a  Di'.NSi':  l"oc,. 

ALIy  arraii.t;(.iiiciils  for  the  voya(;c  havitijj^  been 
■  completed,  llie  ineni])ers  of  tlie  Peary  Relief 
Kxpedition  assembled  in  lirooklyn  on  Monda>-,  June 
27,  and  took  passas^e  on  the  steamshij)  Mirniiifa,  which 
jilies  between  that  port  and  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland, 
where  the  A'i/c  was  in  waitin*;'.  The  vessel  was  adver- 
tised to  lea\e  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
announcement  that  the  members  of  the  relief  expedi- 
tion were  to  be  passengers,  attracted  a  lart^c  number  of 
people  to  Robinson's  wharves  where  she  was  lyin^-. 
Amon}^-  them  were  friends  and  relatives  of  the  departin,^,^ 
voyaj^ers  and  of  several  of  the  members  of  Lieut.  Peary's 
party.  When  the  hour  set  for  departure  came,  Mr. 
Stokes  was  not  on  hand,  althout^h  his  ba.i^j^^aj^e,  with 
which  he  had  ])reviously  had  trouble,  was  safeh-  on 
board.  The  steward  of  the  Miranda  was  likewise  con- 
spicuous by  his  absence.  For  these  a  wait  was  deemed 
desirable,  althoup^h  the  captain  walked  up  and  down 
the  deck  frcttino^  and  fumin<>;  at  the  delay.  He,  never- 
theless, manajj^cd  to  restrain  himself  within  reasonable 
bounds  for  an  hour,  when,  on  the  belated  ones  not 
appearing,  he  declared  he  could  .vait  no  longer  and  gave 

■.'71 


Tim  PEA  A' )  ■  REL I  El-  EX  PEP  I T/ON.         275 

orders  to  cast  olT.  This  had  scarcch-  been  done,  and 
the  Miiaiuia  l)e,ntin  Id  ni()\e,  when  Mr.  .Stokes  a])peared 
red  and  excited  on  the  wharf  llonrishin}^  a  l)nndK'  in 
one  hand,  and  shontinj^  londl\-  to  be  taken  on  board. 
Two  of  th;-  members  ran  forward,  and  as  the  Mirandii 
moved  sU)wl\  ont  of  the  (h)ck,  seized  him  by  tlie  arms 
and  (b'aiL^j^ed  ■■ini,  in  not  the  most  dij^nified  manner, 
over  the  si'le. 

Amid  tile  cheers  of  the  hiri^e  .t^atherinj^'  of  friends  on 
tile  wharf,  and  the  blowinj;'  of  steam  wliistles  from  the 
many  ships  in  the  harbor,  the  Miiaiuht  turned  sU)wI\- 
northward  and  carried  awa\'  the  party.  All  the  mem- 
bers were  cheerful  and  discussed  brii^ditly  the  jn-ospect  of 
fnuHn<^  Lient.  Peary  and  Mrs.  I'ear\-  and  their  com- 
panions, and  of  brin<4iii<;-  them  back  safel\-,  and  dexonred 
at  the  same  time  the  contents  of  a  maiLj^nificeiit  basket 
of  fruit,  which  had  been  sent  them  by  Mrs.  Cook,  the 
mother  of  Dr.  I'.  A.  Cook,  then  in  McCormick  I>a\'. 

After  leaviii!^  the  wharf  in  P.rooklyn  the  M/niiK/a 
.steamed  \\\)  the  Ivist  River,  tlirou.nh  Ilell  (iate  and  into 
Lonjj;-  Island  Sound,  and  by  n'oniint;-  was  pitchiiiiLi-  and 
tossinji^  in  the  open  Atlantic.  Those  who  were  unaffected 
by  this  motion  thoron.nhly  enjoyed  themsehes,  notwith- 
standin_y;  the  fo,^-,  which  obscnred  all  distant  vision.  A 
lari^c  flock  of  Mother  Carey's  chickens  followed  in  the 
vessel's  wake,  di\-in,i;,  nyin<;  and  swimmin.t;-,  ea.s^erh' 
snapjiin.t^  up  any  bit  of  food  which  mi^ht  be  thrown 
overboard.  Hesides  these  the  waters  about  the  \-essel 
seemed  to  be  alive  with   jelly   fish,  and    Mr.  llitc,  the 


276 


/A'  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


W 


\x\ 


\ 


taxidermist,  was  fortuiiatf  cnoiij^h  to  notice  a  spcciincn 
of  tlic"  rare  "  Portu^ufsi.'  Man  of  War,"  so-called  from 
its  red  caplikc  head.  Some  pretty  sea-weed  also  lloated 
past  now  and  then,  on  which  the  Mother  Cares's 
chickens  pounced  with  avidity,  doid)tlcss  for  the 
aninuilculic  which  dwell  abundantly  therein. 


•tf-JTr-*-   ^       .V 


The  passeno;-ers  aboard  were  a  jolly  set,  and,  even 
those  who  became  seasick,  were  as  cheerful  as  the 
famous  ]\Iark  Tapley,  and,  between  the  periods  of  their 
own  devotions  to  the  old  (i^od  of  the  sea,  <j;-ood  naturedlv 
jeered  those  who  were  en!:;a_i;ed  in   the  same  worship. 

When  it  was  jj^eneralh'  known  on  board  that  Captain 
Pike  was  to  be  the  commander  of  the  Kite,  loud  were 
the  praises  snns2^  in  behalf  of  this  <>tvat-hearted  man  by 
a  nmnber  of  Newfoundlanders  amon<>-  the  passengers 
and  crew  who  seemed  to  know  him  well. 


I 


,'i'  i 


THE  niiAR)  Ri.i.ihj-  /•'.xrEnrnox. 


^17 


Aiiii)ii,i4  lliosi'  who  joiiu'd  iiKol  luattily  in  llu'  piaist-s 
1)1'  Captain  Tike'  was  a  UKiiihir  ol"  tlir  itiw,  naiiird 
William  Saimdi'is,  a  iiiaL^nirK-iiii  spitMiiitn  of  Wwfouiitl- 
laiid  inaniK )()(!.  Ik-  was  one  of  tin.'  crew  which  took 
LicuU'uanl  (iivcly  to  ImhI  Collar  on  his  ill-taUd  i\]K<!i- 
lioii  and  k-fl  him  lluu'.  lie  also  was  om-  ol"  Ihr  criw 
of  the  /'lo/ciis,  uikKt  command  of  Captain  I'ikt',  wiiich 
was  wrecked  in  Smith  vSomid  in  iSS^  by  beinm  i-rnslied 
in  the  ice,  and  was  in  charge  of  one  of  the  three  boats 
which  snccessfnlh'  made  the  iamons  cscai)e  thronj^h  the 
(lanj^erons  and  dreaded  Mehillc  I'ay.  vSannders  did  nf)t 
appear  to  consider  the  feat  a  remarkable  one,  and  when 
one  of  the  party  remarked  in  a  sympathetic  tone  that 
he  <;iicsse(l  he  nuist  have  had  a  hard  time  of  it,  replied 
in  a  matter  of  fact  wa\',  "()h,  no,  we  had  nood  open 
boats,  plenty  of  warm  clothes  and  lots  of  food  ;  what 
more  did  we  need  ?  "  ( )n  Ijcin.^'  asked  what  he  called  a 
Iiard  time,  he  re])lie(l,  with  emphasis,  "  ISein.^-  lost  on  a 
cake  of  ice,  with  wet  clothes,  in  freezinj^'  weather  and 
with  nothinj^to  eat,  and  V\u  had  that  nian\-  a  time." 

Tliis  man  is  the  second  ])erson  the  xoya.^ers  met  with 
since  lcavin_y^  Phihidcljihia  who  has  been  a  prominent 
actor  in  notable  Arctic  expeditions.  Jnst  before  the 
Miranda  sailed  from  Urookhii,  a  weather-beaten  tar 
approached  Professor  Heilprin  and  bei^f^cd  to  be  taken 
alon*;'  as  one  of  the  officers  of  the  k'i/c  on  our  present 
enterprise.  He  l)ased  his  claim  for  the  ])ositi()n  on  the 
statement  ihat  he  was  one  of  the  crew  of  the  famous 
Polaris  expedition,  and  he  ai)peared  much  disa])pointed 


iill 


!,ii 


mmmmm 


I 


27S 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


■  \ 


\ 


wIru  Ik-  was  iiifornicil  that  his  request  cur.Ul  not  be 
lira  11  led.  He  was  afterward  recoi'iiizetl  h\  the  ch.ief 
officer  of  the  Minvula  as.  tile  boatswain  of  the  Polaris, 
and  who,  when  in  tlie  antunin  of  1872  tlic  vessel 
seemed  in  ininiinent  (hui_y;er  of  bcinjj;  crushed  in  tlie  floes 
in  vSuiitli's  Sound,  with  a  nuui1;er  of  othcis  took  ref- 
use on  tlie  ice  near  1)\-  ..iid   camped  there.      Uefore   the 


TH1-.    SIJ'AKATION    Ol-    TllK    I'l.OKS  — "  i'OI.AKIS  "    ICXI'KniTIOX,     1^72. 

next  da}-  the  floe  on  which  the\-  were,  separated  from  the 
\essel  and  floated  awa\-,  taking  with  them  the  unforliniate 
men  and  an  b<skimo  woman.  I'or  eij^ht  months  the\- 
drifted  about,  and  were  fmalh'  jiicked  uj)  on  the  Ameri- 
can -ideof  Ilallhrs  liay,  after  enduring  iintold  hardsh.ips. 
With  the  exception  of  a  few  brief  intervals  the 
fo54    continued    throuj^hout    the    voyaj^e,      necessitatiuL; 


THE  PEARY  REI.IEE  EXPEniTION.  27.) 
frequent  souiuliu-s.  This  proceeding-  toovtlur  witli  the 
condition  of  the  atmosphere,  caused  a  report  to  spread 
throu-h  tlie  vessel  tluit  tlie  captain  chd  not  know  where 
he  was.  This  report,  it  is  to  he  reoreltcd,  wasstren-th- 
ene<l  ])y  tiie  captain  himself  who  answered  all  (picM-ies 
as   to  his   ])osition   hv  mysterious  grunts  and  -rowls. 

While  the  passcnocrs  were  discussin-  this  matter  sonic- 
bod>-  raised  the  cr>  of  sjiarks,  and  a  rush  was  made  tor 
the  side  of  the  vessel.  Tliere  thex  were,  two  u,L;h- 
brutes,  one  apparently  about  six  feet  Ion-  an<l  the  other 
seeminoly  much  lar.oer.  When  first  observed  iIu-n  were 
ahead,  but  soon  dropped  astern,  where  thev  followed  tV,r 
nearly  half  an  hour,  sometimes  showin-  themselves  and 
s<.metimes  buryin--  themselves   beneath  the   waters. 

Soon  another  bit  of  excitement  was  aiforded   the  ].as- 
sen-ers.      The  too-,  \vhich  nionientarilv  -rew  lu'avier,  at 
last  became  so  dense  th:it    nothin-    could    be  seen    more 
than    a    boat's    len.oth  ahead.       Then   the   whistle  ..f  a 
steamship  was  heard  in  closer  proxiniitv  tlian  wa>  pleas- 
ant, and  a  few  minutes  later  another  vessel  on  the  ship-., 
quarter  set   U])  an    imearthly   to..tin-,  and    then    a  third 
whistle  not  farawav.      I„   tlie   midst   ot'  the   up.comtort- 
able    feelino-    which    was   sei/ino-   the   partv,  howexer,  a 
pihn  boat  loomed  (mt  of  the  mist   an.l  a    moment   later 
the  h)-  lit"tedas  bv  ma-ic,  and  the  vessel  was  seei    to  be 
close  to  land,  which  rose  in   alternate   jM-ecipitous    white 
cliffs  and  low  verdure-covered  hills,  just  olT  I  lalilax,  and 
two  hours  later,  on  the  mor-ino-„f  Jh,„,  3,,^  ^i,,,  .]//;-,,;,,/,, 
steamed  into  the  harbor  and  brou-ht  uj)  at  the  wharf 


U; 


fiM 


CHAPTER    III. 

IlAi.ii'AX.— Its  Il(Ksi;s,  vStkkkts,  and  Docks.— A  I,.\tk  Si'kino 
Arctic  Ivxim.uricks. — Wim.iam  Saindicks  indhk  I'ikk. 


iH 


\ 


WHIi^N  the  Miranda  was  made  fast  to  the  wharf 
at  Halifax,  it  was  inulerstood  tliat  she  was  to 
reinaiu  there  not  more  than  six  honrs,  and  therefore  if 
the  passen<>ers  desired  to  see  nuich  of  the  town  they 
mnst  make  the  most  of  that  time.  vScarcely  one  anionji^ 
lliem  needed  a  second  Iiint,  for  all  hands  hnrried 
down  over  the  ^an^waN"  to  solid  land,  and  in  a  few 
minntes  were  scattered  over  the  town.  Professor 
Hcilprin,  Mr.  I>r\ant  and  Mr.  Meehan,  of  the  relief 
part)-,  and  one  of  the  passcn<;ers  cast  their  lots  to^^ether, 
and  made  their  exploration  as  thoronj^h  as  possihle. 

Halifax  is  the  capital  of  Xova  Scotia,  and  the  chief 
naval  station  of  the  British  Ivmpire  in  the  Western 
Hemisphere.  It  has  aliont  40,000  inhahitants,  and  one 
of  its  chief  ])rides  is  its  water  snpply,  which  is  drawn 
from  the  Chain  Lakes  a1)()nt  twelve  miles  distant,  and  at 
snch  a  hei,i;ht  al)o\e  the  city  that  water  is  forced  by  its 
own  pressm'e  to  the  tops  of  the  highest  honses.  The 
town  is  beantifnlly  sitnated,  Kini;-  as  it  does  at  the  base 
of  the  low  green  hills  that  Ijound  the  picturesque  bay. 

280 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


:Si 


111  scarcely  a  feature  does  Halifax  resemble  a  city  in 
the  United  States.  In  its  architecture,  its  streets,  its 
general  sleepiness,  and  the  red-coated  soldiers  who 
overrun  it,  Halifax  stands  apart  from  the  cities  of  the 
American  Republic.  As  in  most  of  the  Dominion 
cities,  the  tendency  has  been  to  the  erection  of  frame 
dwellings,  with  shingled  walls  in  lieu  of  weather  board- 
ing, and  these  are  built  mainhin  the  American  colonial 
st\le.  Indeed,  many  of  them  look  as  though  they  had 
been  constructed  during  the  early  days  of  Xo\a  vScotia. 

Here  the  era  of  improved  pa\ements  had  not  yet 
arrived.  Macadam  is  the  onl\'  paveURut  used  e\en  in 
the  heart  of  the  business  (piarters,  and  this  material 
forms  the  sidewalks  for  ju-destrians  as  well  as  the 
wagon  wa\s.  It  must  be  confessed,  though,  that  the 
work  of  laying  of  this  kind  of  jxivenient  has  been  well 
done,  although  the  rules  laid  down  by  Mr.  Macadam  for 
its  construction  are  followed  in  scarcely  a  single  ])artieu- 
lar.  In  one  piece  of  work  which  was  seen  in  ]>rocess 
of  construction,  the  thoroughfare  was  exca\ated  to  a 
depth  of  at  least  four  feet  and  fdled  in  with  stones  of 
various  sizes  and  covered  with  crushed  rock.  This, 
rolled  and  re-rolled,  made  a  hard  atul  good  road,  which 
did  not  ai)]u\u'  to  wear  badl\'.  l'-\en  those  which  were 
l)Ut  down  on  streets  which  led  up  the  steep  hillsides 
aj^peared  to  hold  their  own  fairh'  well.  The  com])laint, 
however,  was  frecpienth-  heard  of  their  mudd\-  and 
dusty  character,  according  to  the  weather,  Just  as  we 
hear  made  ay^ainst  Macadam  in  (»ur  own  American  cities. 


2r,2 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


% 


Besides  the  iua.y;inficent  water  supply,  the  people  of 
Halifax  are  blessed  in  their  i)ublic  parks.  There  are 
two  of  these,  each  entirely  different  in  their  features,  and 
])(jth  charm iii,i;-.  One  of  them  is  almost  in  the  heart  of 
the  town,  and  is  called  the  Public  (iardens.  It  is  a 
tract  coxerin^-  some  eij^hteeu  acres,  and  is  almost  wholly 
artilicial  in  its  construction,  and  so  skillfull)' and  artisti- 
call\-  has  the  task  been  performed  that  it  is  a  pit\-  that 
the  municipal  authorities  do  not  remove  the  uirsinhtly 
wooden  fence  which  surrounds  it,  and  is  the  only  object 
which  mars  its  beauty. 

iMj^hteen  years  ai^o,  when  the  munici])al  authorities 
])urchascd  the  ground  as  a  public  breathiuL;-  ])la;\',  the 
site  was  partly  an  old  truck  garden  and  partly  a  bit;-  1)0^; 
hole,  through  which  a  small  stream  ran  diai^oually. 
l'ortun;itely,  the  city  was  judicious  in  the  selection  of  a 
.superintL'udent.  Mr.  Richard  Power,  the  gentleman  in 
question,  is  not  onl\'  an  enthusiast  in  landscape  i^arden- 
inj;-,  but  he  has  the  rare  ficully  of  beinu;-  able  to  carry 
out  his  artistic  ideas  in  a  practical  uianner.  As  a  result, 
the  old  truck  garden  and  the  bo^-  hole  have  been  trans- 
formed into  a  floral  and  arboral  paradise.  A  prett\-  lake 
occupies  a  portion  of  the  ,!:;rouuds,  and  the  little  stream 
has  been  transformed  into  a  picturesque  brook,  with 
charminj;- cascades  ami  deli,i;htful  pools.  Mr.  Power  has 
also  established  here  an  arboretum  of  which  even  a 
larger  cit\-  mi.^ht  well  be  jnoud. 

The  otlicr  park  owned  1)\-  Halif:i\  is  remarkable,  not 
only  for  its  inherent   loveliness,  but  as  illustrating  the 


THE  PEARY  RELIIiF  EXPEDITION. 


28: 


good  sense  of  those  wlio  liave  the  propert)-  in  charge. 
About  five  years  a,^o  this  traet,  whieh  comprises  oxer 
500  acres,  and  is  situated  on  Point  Pleasant,  a  hi.^li 
bhifT  whicli  projects  tongue-like  into  tlie  ocean  and 
forms  one  side  of  Halifax  P)ay,  was  a  wild  woodland, 
composed  chiefly  of  s])ruces  and  pines.  Tlirou.^h  this 
wilderness  of  trees  the  nninicii)al  and  military  authori- 
ties ha\-e  j()intl\-  made  handsome  serpentine  dri\-es  in 
ever\-  direction,  each,  however,  leadin.n'  to  some  pronion- 
tor\-  from  which  i^rand  \-iews  of  the  sea  are  offered. 

On  one  of  these  i)romontories  is  situated  an  old  mili- 
to'-y  t.ower,  circular  in  form,  and  from  tliirtv  to  forty 
feet  hi.^h.  This  tower,  which  is  called  the  Prince  of 
Wales  Tower,  is  said  to  he  the  oldest  of  its  kind  in  the 
countr\-,  and  from  its  summit,  as  mi^ht  be  readily 
ima.Liined,  splendid  \-iews  are  obtainable.  Near  here 
Scotch  heather  >^rows  abundanth',  and  if  the  story 
be  true,  from  this  point  all  .\merican  ])Iants  of 
this  pretty  species  orioriually  came.  It  is  related  that  a 
little  -nore  than  a  century  a.^o  a  vScotch  emii^rant  vessel 
was  wrecked  on  Point  Pleasant,  and  the  beds  of  the 
eniig-rants  washed  ashore.  These  beds  were  stulTed 
with  the  heather  of  the  vScotcli  hills,  and  sonic  of  the 
seeds  oerminated  readily  upon  a  soil  so  like  its  native 
country,  and  nourished.  This  story  ma\-  not  be  true, 
but  doubtless  has  as  much  foundaticui  as  man\-  tales  that 
are  related  of  places  and  things. 

In  this  park   were  fouiul  soine  of  the  most  wonderful 
evidences  of   ^lacial    action    which    Professor    Ileilprin 


"""■•■■"■■■■■I 


\W 


284 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


said  he  liad  ewr  seeii  (nitsick'  of  ihc  Arctic  rc<;ions. 
Allli()n,^h  bcloii^iu!^-  to  the  same  period  as  that  which 
prcN'ailed  o\er  the  .greater  part  of  America,  the  marks 
are  still  deej:)  and  plainl\-  xisihle. 

IliL;]]  above  the  town  is  the  citadel.  lM"oni  the  snm- 
mit  of  Citadel  Hill  one  of  the  grandest  of  views  of  Hali- 
fax and  its  snrroundin.i;s  may  he  obtained.  I-'rom  it 
one  looks  down  on  the  terraced  town,  across  the  spark- 
lin;.;-  l)a\'  to  the  white  rocked  hills,  crowned  with  the 
l)]ack  and  i^reen  of  the  black  sprnce  and  the  pines.  In 
the  midst  of  the  ba_\-  rises  (leori^e  Island,  snrmonn.ted 
with  its  frowning-  fortifications.  To  the  left  the  ba\- 
rnns  into  a  little  conc  in  which  is  H.  I!.  Al's  shipyard, 
wliere  the  crniser  />/akr  is  hin^'  fresh  from  the  docks. 
To  the  ri^ht,  vanishing'  in  the  horizon,  the  bine  ocean 
sparkles  in  the  snnlii^lit. 

Uesides  the  militar\-  post,  Halifax  is  a  na\al  station, 
and  fonr  of  her  Majest\"s  \-esseIs  were  in  the  harbor,  and 
fixe  or  six  more  were  expected  in  a  few  da\s.  The 
(jneen's  wharves,  before  which  the  \essels  lay,  are  con- 
nected, so  it  is  said,  with  the  militar\-  citadel  by  means 
of  an  nnderj^ronnd  passa.i^e. 

At  the  time  the  I'ear\-  Relief  party  were  there  Halifax 
was  enjo\in<j;-  the  fnllness  of  spring'.  The  lilacs  were  in 
blossoiu,  and  these,  to.i^ether  with  other  vernal  plants 
lon<>-  since  over  at  liome,  made  the  air  hea\'\'  with 
fra<j;rance.  This  and  the  braciii!,;-  air  from  the  hills  and 
sea  rendered  the  place  so  delightful  that,  as  the  hour  set 
down  for  departure  ap[)roaclied   it  was  with   the  deepest 


I 


I 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXrFJyriON,         2^5 

regret  thai  the  party  turned  their  f()()tsie])s  towards  tlie 
wliari",  where  the  MiiwuUi  hi\-,  and  tlieir  disgust  fonnd 
vent  in  words  when,  on  arrivin,-^'  there,  the\-  k'arned 
tliat  Iier  iVei^i^ht  was  not  \et  loaded  and  tliat  the  time 
ol  her  sailini;-  was  nneertain.  To  make  the  matter 
worse,  tliis  nneertaintx'  rendered  it  nnsafe  to  .^o  to  an\ 
(h"stanee.  In  tliis  eondition  lhe_\-  were  kept  nntil  ten 
o'eloek  the  n.e.xt  da\-,  for,  after  the  frei,i;iit  had  1)een  ,i;<)t 
on  hoard  and  tlie  l)nnker>  filled  with  coal,  it  was  fonnd 
that  the  fonr  firemen  had  deserted  and  others  had  to  he 
en^a,L;"ed. 

It  seemed  to  l)e  the  fortnne  of  the  partv  to  come 
across  those  wlio  lia\e  met  witli  thrilling-  e\])t'riences  in 
the  Arctic  re.^ions.  The  cases  of  the  boatswain  of  the 
Polaris  and  of  the  sailor  on  the  dl-fated  I'roUiis  ha\e 
already  been  noted.  While  in  Halifax  (lie\-  met 
a  third  jierson  who  had  hec-n  prominent  in  Arctic 
adventnre.  This  was  Captain  Ash,  commander  of 
the  Portia,  the  twin  ship  to  the  Miraiuia.  He  was 
ice  pilot  on  board  the  Puor  in  the  snccessfnl  search 
for  Lientenant  (ireely,  and  it  was  Cajjtain  Ash 
who  first  discovered  the  little  skin  tent  in  which  the 
])arty  li\-ed  and  starved,  and  it  was  he  who  cnt  his  way 
into  the  tent  and  ^ave  them  relief  Captain  Ash  is  a 
,^ood  e.\am]ileof  the  Xewfonndland  sailor,  strong,  well 
knit  and  good  natnred — a  man  in  whom  one  instinc- 
tively places  implicit  confidence. 

At  length,  on  vSatnrdax-  morning,  Jnl\-    2,  jnst   as   the 
British  Hags  were  being  fioated  from  e\-er\-  staff  in  Halifax 


mm 


2sr) 


IN  ARCr/C  S/:.IS. 


ill' 


|1h. 


ill  honor  of  Dominion  l)a\-,  tvciytliino-  licin*:^  ready, 
tl;c'  Miranda  cast  loose  from  the  wharf  to  wliich  she  had 
])een  made  fast,  and  steamed  slo\vl\-  out  of  the  harbor 
and  turned  her  prow  toward  vSt.  Jolins. 

^Mention  has  already  been  made  of  William  Saunders, 
the  rouj'-h-and-ready  mariner  who  took  in  such  an  un- 
concerned manner  his  marvelous  escape  in  an  open 
whale  boat  thron.irh  Melville  Hay  after  the  wreck  of  the 
Proti'us.  After  the  Miranda  left  Halifax,  some  of  the 
party  trained  their  Eastmans  on  the  unconscious  W'il- 
liam,  who  was  then  actinj^  as  lookout,  in  order  to 
<;et  a  picture  of  him.  In  this  they  were  aided  and 
abetted  by  a  Mr.  Fletcher,  a  Newfoundland  ^y^entlcman, 
with  whom  the  members  struck  up  a  warm  friend- 
ship. After  they  were  all  through  and  had  <>^oue  awa\', 
Saunders  turned  to  Mr.  Fletcher  and  with  some  un- 
easiness in  his  voice,  said,  "  Mr.  Fletcher,  what 
were  you  and  the  .ijjentlemen  doin<;-?  Ve  kep'  sayin' 
'  Willum,  look  here  '  and  '  Willum,  look  there,'  and  then 
every  time  I  heard  a  little  snap  like."  "Indeed,  Wil- 
liam," replied  Mr.  Fletcher,  "  I  can't  exactly  sa\-.  It 
was  some  .sort  of  a  scientific  experiment  they  were  tr\-- 
iii}^  on  you.  I  think  they  call  it  a  snap  shot.  It  don't 
hurt  you  none,  and  a  picture  comes  from  it."  "  A  pic- 
ture did  yon  say  they  were  takin'  ?"  exclaimed  the  in- 
nocent Saunders.  "  Why  didn't  the\- say  so  an'  I  would 
have  fixed  up  a  bit."  Then  he  fell  to  discu.ssini>-  the 
party,  and  expressed  liis  doubts  as  to  whether  they  were 
the  proper  sort  to  <;o  to  the  North  pole.      "  Why,"    said 


THE  PEA R  Y  REE lEE  EXPEDITION.  2^-, 

lie,  "most  of  'cm  were  seasick  and  ain't  sailors." 
"  No,"  said  Mr.  Fletcher,  "  but  they  are  scientific  men 
auJ  lewspaper  men,  and  they  are  a  hardy  lot  and  know- 
how  to  get  there."  "Yes,"  said  Mr.  Saunders,  not 
yet  convinced,  "they  may  hum  how,  but  me  an'  yon, 
Mr.  Fletcher,  ivould <g^t  there,  'cause  we're  sailors." 


ifi 


i:iti,    . 


m 


W' 


^''''^•'••mmm 


■■HHiB 


I*' 


\w 


CII.\I'TI-k    i\'.^^ 

I'iKsr  hi;ni:Ki".s. -St.   Johns  I'.i:i'i)ur;  'riiiv   I'lui:.— Tiir:  "Kn'i;'s" 
<  )ii  ui:k.s  ami  Ci<i;\v. 


ii 


i'P  \v,i>  Suii(la\,  jul\'  :^.  exactly  at  noon,  that  the 
TraiA'  rrlirf  parly  ai^ain  caiiii'  in  sij^lit  of  land, 
a  Idiil;  stRlcli  of  low  hill-.,  LONcrcd  1)\-  a  thin  lia/.c, 
known  as  I'airxland  Head,  about  forty  niiU'S  from  St. 
Johns.  This  spot  of  L;'n)iind  has  a  sonu'what  romantic 
historw  Hereford  Ilallimort' came,  and  was  so  charmed 
with  the  place  that  he  estahlished  a  Roman  Catholic 
colony,  which  he  called  hV'rnlaw,  in  honor  of  his  countr\- 
seat  in  ICni^land.  This  colony,  howe\-er,  failed,  and 
Lord  Ualtiniore  sailed  to  Maryland  where  Ilaltiniore 
now  is.  The  ruins  of  this  old  colon\-  in  Xewfonndland 
are  still  to  he  seen,  and  though  there  is  a  xilla^c'  there 
now,  it  is  a  small  one,  coni]iosed  chietly  of  fishermen. 
Its  present  romantic  name,  "  h'airx  land,"  was  ^i\-en  to 
the  ])lace  because  it  was  beliexed  to  ha\e  been  a  favorite 
haunt  of  elfm  s]-)rites,  hobgoblins  and  other  weird  folk 
from  tlu'  land  of  mist  and  dreams. 

Almost  simultaneously  with    tlu'  si<;htiui;-  of  this  land 
the  voya:.;ers  had   their    fi/st    \iew  of  an    ice])er<.;-,  but  it 

■■■  'I'll!   lily  nf  St,  John-  w.is  almiisl  (.oiiiiikUly  tlL".-lruy<.'<l  by  liii    live  day  >  after 
the  vi-il  111   llic-  iiaiiy. 
2fvS 


■ 


e 
c 

T 


V. 


'i; 


rill:  ri'.Akv  Rh.i.iF.i-  lixPi.nmoN. 


2^)\ 


was  such  a  u'lvtcluil,  iiisij;iiit'u-aiU  spii-iiiR'U  thai  it  failed 
to  c'voki.'  any  (.ulhusiasin  whaliArr.  Two  or  ihux'  more 
of  a  simihir  I'haracli  r  wire  iluu  sivii  siu't-i'ssisely  and 
evoked  but  hllk- comnifnt,  hul  shorll\- aflir  dinner  one 
was  (»h>er\ed  which  (h"ew  e\  iry  one  lo  the  ship's  side  and 
caused  much  (lisciissicMi  a-^  loiissi/e.  It  was  a  pyranndal- 
shaped  block,  da/zHnj^f  white  in  its  settinj^of  blue  water 
and  sk\-,  and  reared  its  lu'ad  oxer  i  so  feit  in  the  air. 


As  the  vessel  approached  nearer  the  shore,  and  came 
within  si<2;-ht  of  Cape  vS])ear,  the  vast  spruce  woods  which 
cover  the  hills  were  seen  to  be  on  fire,  and  j^reat  clouds 
of  smoke  rose  skyward  and  floated  hea\ily  out  to  sea. 
This  smoke  soon  became  so  (K-nse  that  it  entirely  ob- 
scured any  sij^ht  of  land  until  the  ca])e  was  doubled, 
wlien  suddenly  the  verdure-covered  red  rock  bluffs  re- 
appeared  to  view,  presentin<;  a  panorama  of  wondrous 


.^MsitiMsiiMiamuiei^mmi 


mmmmmmum 


ii 


Jl)J 


/A'  ,/A'7(  /(    s/:.is. 


If 


Ih. 


1: 


l)(.'.nit\.  'V\\r  \i>\,imrs  loiiinl  I  luinsiKi  s  in  ,i  ■.mciI 
si'iui-iMKMil.ir  W.isin,  hiniiulfil  In  limki'ii  ;iiiil  ]iUTi|iiliiiis 
rlills  III  ud  s.iiiilsldiir,  u  liii-li  risr  sliiri  oiil  ol  (he 
w.iU-i  iiioir  ill, 111  |(ii)  Irii  lii;^li,  ;iiiil  :i^,iiii.st  tlir  l>,i-.r  of 
whirli  llu'  \v,i\rs  d.isli  llu'iiist'Krs  iiilo  loam.  Ilcrc  .iiid 
tluTi.'  ^ii'.il  iM\rs  show  ill  llu'  lai'i-  of  tlir  dills,  loinud 
1>\  llu'  .uiion  ol  llu'  walris,  and  iVoiii  llicii  (U|)llis  coiius 
llir  hollow  roar  of  the  si'a  as  it  toils  and  rats  rnitlut  and 
Imtlur  into  llir  soil,  cininhliiiiu;  loi'k. 

Across  I  his  hasiii,  whii-h  is  ralK'cl  iMrshwatiT  ]\a\\ 
tlu-  .]//) i!//(/ir  straiiU'd  towards  a  (K'pti'ssioii  in  lIu'  hills, 
which,  wlun  it  was  approaidircl  (.dosvU,  was  toniid  to  hr 
a  narrow  passa^'waN  ol  water  onlv  a  li'W  Immlu'd  trrt 
widi'.  Throni^h  this  thr  Miiniuhi  stt-anu'd,  and  ciitnid 
a  ^niall  I'iu'iilai'  !)a\  ,  at  ihr  otlua  sidr  ol"  whii-h  lU'slK  1 
St.  Johns  at  tlu'  wain's  (.'d-^t',  and  soon  slu'  was  niadr 
last  to  one  '.A    llu'  whaiAX's, 

l.ookiiiL;  n])on  tin.'  pictnifsciiK'  littlr  town  and  haihor 
oiu-  nuL^ht  WH'll  UtI  with  and  join  llu'  nati\«.'  pottrss  in 
tlu    lu'.irliiu'ss  of  hrr  to.ist : 

'  \i)  st.iUK   iiiiiiiimunls  aiim  ii  tliv  rn.ist  ; 
N.>  .nu'ii'ill  iililu'v  iMlisl  tliou  Imast  ; 
\\1   1  -.vill  pliMlv;i'  willl  luait  and  hand 
Tin   lu'iltli  foii-xiT,  \i'\\  roimdlaiiii." 

.\s  Il.ilifax  dillrrs  iVoni  all  c-itirs  in  the  I'nilcd  vStaU'S, 
st>  doi'S  vSt.  j(dins  dilU'i"  from  Halifax,  hnt  as  Ilalilax 
possesses  toatnres  distincliwK'  its  own,  so  ,St.  Johns 
oi.-i.mi]m\'s  a  pinnacle  eciualK'  nni(ine.  In  ihrei'  partiia;- 
lars  onl\-  do  these  two  cities  resenihle  each  other.       Ivich 


rill:  I'l-.Ah'Y  h'i-:i  n-i-  h.srini  i  ion. 


'(.^ 


I>:l\-l'S  its  sheets  will,  M  le.,,  |, , ,,, ,  ,,,,!,  1,,,,,  ..|  sle,|p\,  |,,i- 
^''.^"  'ii'-  ■■">"•  '''I"''!  ii^es  eliiell\  liinhci  |,,r  hiiildin...  |,iir- 
I'Mses  ;iil.|  se;ireel\  ,iiiv  l,i  lek  oislmie.  \\n\  H,,.  -,|,,,t> 
"'  'l''lil''l\  run.  In  ;i  .MV;il  exlelit,  ,||  iJmIiI  ,i  ||..  i.  ,  ui  I  1| 
'•"•''  "'•'"■'-  wlllle  m  Si.  jolllls  |||e\  eillier  WIIkI  Hid 
*''l'\''  III'"  "IK-  .illi'ther  ill  111,.  ni..,|  I.ewildelill-  l;i:-d  1  ioi; , 
lollowill;;    the  enill(.lir>  (if  Ihe    |  .iel  l|  |  ex  |  iir    |ii|U,,ii    uilKli 

llie    town    nestles,  .,!•    make  a    1)1, Id    mil    sirai.-lil    up    the 
steej)  incline  tdwanis  the  siiimnil  oj    the  lid-e. 

'Idle  Macadam  |)a\  in-  ol  the  main  |M,iti.,n  .A  ihese 
IhoK.n-lilaivs  is  imt  nearl\  as  caictnlK  .Ioik  a.  in  llali- 
lax.  'Idle  turnpikes,  li<)we\er,  in  the  eii\ii,,iis  ol  Si. 
J'diiis  art'  excelK'iit.  .\s  ..iie  wanders  al-ui-  ikein  muc 
is  strii(d<  with  the  siniilarit\-  of  the  (diaracter  of  the 
roadsidt'S     to     those     of     the      Isle     .,f     Wi-ht.  Iled-cs 

<>t  hawthorn  line  hoth  sidi-s  of  the  roads,  and  the  solt 
.Urteii  orass-co\H'ri'(i  hills  are  sin.-nlail\  like  those  of 
that  pretty  isle,  the  pride  of   l'',nidand. 

.\I)oiil  V'.'x'o  people  reside  in  St.  John-,,  ami  like 
thosi'  of  Halifax,  tlie\-  sedii  to  ha\i'  a  le.iiiiii-  towards 
ancient  lookin;-  hiiildin-s,  Imt,  unlike  those  in  Halifax, 
who  affect  -.1111 1)1(1  roofs,  those  ol"  St.  joliiH  ])refer  the 
plain  doiihle  pittdi,  so  steep  that  iiearK  ,dl  li,i\-e  to  |,e 
provided  with  fixed  ladders  in  case  of  (ire.  In  [|u-  ni.itter 
ol  wati'r  sii|)i)l\  llu'  residents  of  this  place  are  exception- 
all\  fortunate,  ami  (daini  that  llu\  li,i\f  ih,  purest  and 
best  water  in  the  world.  'Idu-  source  is  Tw  eni\ -niiie 
I'ond,  a  lar-f  lake,  ei-lit  miles  out  ol'  town,  ,,ii  :,  hj!] 
more    than    lOoo   feel   above    the   sea.       Down    the-   steel) 


294 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


%K 


incliuf  tlie  wak-r  rushes,  acratin,i,r  itself  by  its  own 
vclocilx',  and  runs  in  clear  cold  streams  ])y  its  own  ])res- 
sure  to  the  tops  of  the  tallest  bnildinj^s. 

.\.lthon<;h  a  small  place,  vSt.  Johns  does  a  connnercial 
business  of  some  importance,  shippin,^-  lars^ely  fish,  seal- 
skins and  minerals  to  the  States,  En<;land  and  the  West 
Indies.  Hut  the  people  move  at  an  eas)-  pace.  They 
do  not  seem  to  be  able  to  comprehend  the  meaninji^  of 
the  word  hurry.  In  their  parlance  to-niorrt)w  is  synon\-- 
mous  with  to-day,  and  two  or  three  hours  more  or  less 
a  matter  of  no  consequence. 


^:ij,,,^' ;.-7;^^.i<Tv,.^o 


'i; 


Picturesque  as  are  the  approaches  to  vSt.  Johns  from 
the  sea,  they  are  rivalled  by  the  views  from  the  hills 
above  the  town,  either  lookin^^  westward  or  towards  the 
ocean  throujjjh  the  narrows  which  connect  it  with  tl:e 
bay.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  runs  a  wide  and  brawlinj;- 
stream  of  water,  ice  cold  and  clear  as  crystal,  which  a 
little  distance  further  on  expands  into  a  broad,  deej)  and 
lo\'ely  lake,  three-quarters  of  a  mile  lont^,  to  which  the 
Indian  name  of  Onidi  \'idi  still  clin<;s.  It  rests  in  a 
^rand  natural  amphitheatre,  and  here  annually  the 
jieojile  of  St.  Johns  hold  a  fete  day.  ( )n  this  occasion, 
the  annual  reir^tta  is  held  and  the  hills  are  dotted  with 


TIfE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEP/T/ON. 


-^D.S 


wliitc  Iciits,  and  tvsoinul  willi  the  sliouls  and  lanL;lili.T 
of  llic  !L;ail\'  dressed  merrymakers. 

After  leavinj;-  the  lake,  the  stream  wliicli  forms  it, 
seemin}^d\-  tired  o^  the  ([niet  which  it  found  there, 
he^iiis  a  mad  course  of  nearl\-  a  mile  down  an  incline 
of  more  than  200  feet,  ])lun<^in,L,f  in  small  cascades, 
s\virlin<^  about  linj^e  red  boulders,  and  dashin_L;  into 
foam  over  broad  riffles,  and  finally  emptyin.i^  into  the  sea 
tliroiijj^h  a  (leeji,  narrow  (L^ori,^',  whicli  it  has  made  for 
itself  by  ai^es  of  work,  and  to  which  has  been  iL^iveu 
the  inelegant  but  expressive  name  of  Ouidi  \'idi  ( lUt. 

Walking  about  the  outskirts  of  the  town  on  a  pleasant 
July  evening,  when  the  air  is  full  of  the  fragrance  of 
flowers,  young  tree  leaves  and  grass  and  the  fresh  scent 
of  the  sea,  it  was  liard  to  imagine  that  vSt.  Johns  could 
ever  be  other  than  a  delightful  place  t(»  li\e  in,  and  not 
until  one  looked  closely,  and  observed  that  e\er\-  tree, 
every  shrub  in  exposed  places  leaned  heavily  towards 
the  southeast,  did  a  suspicion  dawn  on  one  what  must 
be  the  severity  of  the  northwest  winds  during  the  long 
cold  winters.  vStill  Xewfoundlauders  love  their  country 
with  a  love  that  almost  ])asses  belief,  and  the  wild 
scenery,  the  fierce  storms  which  swee])  o\(.r  it  in  winter, 
alternating  with  the  mild,  fragrant  s])ring  and  the 
])leasant  summer,  fits  exacll\-  the  character  of  the 
brave,  strong,  honest  race  of  men  who  li\'e  there. 

It  had  been  intended  that  the  A'/A  should  sail  on  her 
vowage  to  .\rctic  waters  on  Jnl\'  4,  but  it  was  found 
impo.ssible  to  stir  u[)  the  sluggish   men  about  the  wharf 


mm 


" 'i'^mmmmm^m^.- 


296 


IN  ARCTIC  s/-:,is. 


i[l 


h 


sitiriciciilK-  1(1  i;L-t  away  hffoiv  iIr-  afternoon  of  tlie 
fiflli.  Mnrh  aj^ainsl  llicir  wills,  tlKTcfoR',  tlir  nicnilirrs 
of  llu'  IVaiA  Relief  Ivxpedilion  were  eouipelled  to 
celebrate  In<le])en(lenee  l)a\'  on  shore. 

The  AV/r  had  heeii  ,!.;reatl\'  heantified  and  iiad  only 
come  off  dock  the  week  before  ;  she  had  been  ])ainte(l 
and  i^ilded  throni^liont  and  a  new  carpet  laid  on  the 
floor  of  her  eoz\-  little  saloon  and  the  staterooms  and 
l)erths  were  iiewK'  fitted  np.  All  tliis  ])leased  e\er\  oia- 
except  two  or  three  ^rii.zled  old  whalers,  who  shonk 
their  heads  sadly  and  with  disapjjroval  at  the  nildin:^  and 
*>e\vt;aws  wherewith  the  stanncdi  and 
steady  old  k'/ic  had  l)een  adorned. 
One  said  that  she  looked  more  like  a 
"  painted  Je/.abeel  than  the  i^ood, 
lionest  old   woman  slie  was." 

Besides  Captain  Pike  the  niend)ersof 
the  slii])'s  company  were  Cai)tain  Iv  Mur]")hy,  first  officer; 
P.  Dumpily,  second  officer  ;  A.  McKinley,  chief  eii<.;in- 
eer  ;  John  Peiiston,  seond  en.^iiieer  ;  L.  Hackctt,  chief 
.steward  ;  I?ernard  Wall,  second  steward  ;  A.  Lind- 
sa\',  cook  ;  J.  CnniiinL;ham,  A.  Roost  and  Iv  Crook, 
firemen,  and  'Phomas  Hayes,  John  I\.eas\-,  R. 
Flemmiii^-  and  Daniel  McDonnell,  seamen.  <  )f  these 
officers  and  crew  all  were  new  men  except  Mr.  Dnni])h\-, 
the  second  mate  ;  Mr.  McKinley,  who  occnp>ied  the  jiost 
of  Mr.  Jardiiie,  the  first  engineer,  last  year  ;  and 
Andrew  Roost  and  Ivlward  Crook,  firemen. 


CHAl'Tl'.R     V. 

LiiAvrxc,    St.     Johns. --Tin;    Xi-.\vi-oi:.M.i..\.\n    Co.x.ST.— Soi.omd.n 
r.oss.— Thi;  .\uctic  Cikli.::  — .Vkriv  \i,  ..\t   Cdini.w  x. 

^T^PII<:  A7/r,  after  Ifaviii^-  the  harbor  of  St.  Jolnis.  <.ii 
J-       its   way  to   McCorniick    I!ay,  oiiJul\   5,  kept  luar 
the  coast,  .t;ivin>;  ample  opportunity  for  oI),ser\  iii.^  its  wihl 
beaut)-.      Clean   cut,  the    red    cliffs   ro.s^   from   the    (K-ep 
blue  water  to  heights  ran^-ino-  from  100  to  .|.oi^  feet,  tluir 
summits,  which  are  clothed  with  low  ve,L;etation,  .sharply 
silhouetted  a.^ainst  the  cloudless  sky.      Ikre  a  bluff  ro>e 
abruptly  from  the  .sea,  its  a.^ed    face   deeply  seamed  and 
wrinkled  into  uncounted   clefts  and  ledj^e.s.      Sometimes 
the  bluffs  would  extend  for  a  quarter  or  half  a  mile  in  a 
straio-ht  line  alon,-;-  the  coast,  then  makin>,r  oreat  sweei)s 
backward    or   forward    the>-    would    form    small     fiords. 
Aoain,  instead   of  standinj^-   out    bold   and    ru,^.L;ed,    they 
would    retreat,   sometimes    i^ently,    sometimes  abruptly, 
disclosin.L;-   rolliui^'-   valleys,  throu.nh  the  centre  of  whicli 
broilino-  streams  tumbled  seaward  o\-er  rocks  and  bould- 
ers.     Here  and   there,  in  little  nooks  shelt<.'red  from  the 
northwest  winds,  nestled   the   ])ictures(iue   t)nt  rude  huts 
oi  the  Newfoundland  fishermen. 

As  at  St.  Johns,  so  alou^-  the  coast  the  clilTs  are 
pierced  by  caverns  carved  out  by  the  iiidef  iti,L;able  sea, 
and   the  .same  irresistible  element  lias  cut  throuoh   the 


297 


I  Q-' 


WI«|||HI»(KlI^J(.V,l».,ii<ir, ..-— 1>„.   ,. 


21J.S 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


h».. 


iH 


'i; 


rocks  ill  countless  places  deep  ji^ulches  which  are 
soiiielinies  a  thousaiul  feet  or  more  wide,  but  oftener  so 
narrow  that  a  man  could  readily  sprin,^-  across. 

These  clefts  vary  in  depth  from  a  hundred  to  three 
or  four  lunidied  feet,  and  in  them  the  water  lashes 
itself  into  a  white  foam  and  emits  a  hollow,  indescrib- 
al)le  sound,  which  on  storm\'  days  nia\'  be  heard  a  lou!^^ 
distance.  vSometimes,  instead  of  ruunin!:^  inland,  they 
run  parallel  with  the  shore,  and  then  an  island  is 
"oruied.  One  ol  these,  kiu)wn  as  Haccalieu  Island, 
li  .  between  Conception  and  Trinity  Hays.  This  spot 
was  the  scene  nine  years  a_y^o  of  one  of  the  uiost 
'lyste^'cMS  sea  tragedies  known  on  the  Newfoundland 
coast.  Klmx  it  was  that  the  Lioii^  carryinj^;  several 
p  isseuii^ers,  parted  one  sunny  afternoon  from  a  com]^an- 
ion  ship  and  .started  to  5^0  between  the  island  and  the 
nuiin  land  (the  water  beinjj;-  reputed  and  charted  as 
very  deep)  and  was  never  heard  of  afterward,  and  no 
tr.ices  of  her  found  except  the  body  of  a  woman  on  the 
shore  of  the  mainland  and  the  wreckaj^c  of  a  boat  be- 
l()Uifin.i>'  to  the  vessel.  Here  it  was  that  Cabot  landed  in 
1497.  Here,  too,  the  fishermen  have  more  tales  of  hard- 
ships and  sufTerin«;s  to  tell  of  than  anywhere  else  on  the 
coast  of  Newfoundland.  Thou.sands  of  lives  have  been 
sacrificed  here  in  the  hunt  for  cod  and  seal,  and  prob- 
abh-  thousands  nuue  will  pa.ss  to  the  "  <;reat  majority  " 
in  the  same  pursuit. 

It  was  at  this  point,  also,  that  the  travelers  saw  the 
first  of  those  glorious  sunsets  of  which  Newfoundlanders 


THE  PEARY  RELIEE  EXPEDITION. 


299 


so  proudly  boast.  The  lower  end  of  the  island  hid 
the  retiriu}^  luminary,  but  the  narrow  stretch  of  water 
whicli  separates  the  mainland  from  the  island  was 
bathed  in  a  radiance  which  made  it  a  sea  of  j^litterinjr 
gold,  while  the  face  of  the  red  clifis  of  the  mainland 
and  of  the  island  were  chanjred  to  a  deep  purple  ;  the 
verdure  above  them  had  assumed  a  pale  j^reeu  hue  with 
here  and  there  patches  of  black.  The  rocks  of  the 
island  in  the  foreground,  which  were  in  the  shadow,  were 
shaded  from  red  to  dark  brown  and  from  dark  brown  to 
black,  while  their  edges  appeared  clear  cut  against  the 
sky,  now  all  aflame.  Above  the  island  the  heavens  v/ere 
cloudless,  .save  for  a  few  small  flecks  of  cirrus,  now 
altered  from  silvery  white  to  shining  gold,  floating  in  a 
sky  whose  azure  blue  was  wa.shed  and  tinted  with 
soft  yellows  and  delicate  greens.  Higher  up  there  were 
great  masses  of  ragged  cumulus,  purple  and  violet,  all 
edged  and  flecked  with  crimson,  so  bright  that  the  color 
was  reflected  by  the  sea.  Far  off"  to  the  horizon  on  either 
hand  these  colors  extended  until  dissolved  in  the  blue 
haze  over  the  water.  The  splendor  of  the  spectacle  kept 
all  on  deck  unmindful  of  the  supper  bell,  which,  from 
time  to  time,  angrily  called  them  to  come  below. 

As  the  k'ih'  is  not  a  fast  boat,  its  average  speed  being 
not  more  than  seven  knots  an  hour,  the  Miranda,  which 
carried  the  ])arty  from  New  York  to  St.  Johns,  caught 
up  to  and  passed  them  about  nine  (j' clock  the  same 
night,  and  fireworks  and  steam  whistle  compliments 
were  exchanged  between  the  two  vessels  until  they  were 


?!• 


""** ".'""»' ■"■«■  >Mii*MM^.<ik.U*  «. 


""*«"''«'wmB 


300 


/X  .ih'CT/C  s/-:.is. 


i; 


out  ol  si,u;lit  and  hryoiid  luaiiuL;  of  each  other;  this 
\va>  the  hist  wsscl  nirt  till  Disko  was  ivachcd. 

Im)]  till'  li.-st  thrcT  (la\  s  of  the  jdiiriK-y  iVoni  St.  joliiis 
the  (la\s  and  (.AeiiiuiLiS  were  (|uitc  warm,  hut  on  the 
fourth  the  teni])erature  hei^an  to  lall  until  it  reached 
close  to  tlu'  iVee/.iiiL;-  point,  and  shortK'  alter  was  seen 
the  "  ice  hlink,""  a  white  streak  on  tlu'  sky  aho\e  the 
liorizon,  which  indicates  the  ])rcsence  of  pack  ice. 
l!nt  the  si^ht  caused  no  ap])reheusions,  for  Captain 
rike  announced  that  it  was  entirely  out  of  the  ship's 
course. 

vSoon  alter  coniinj;  on  hoard  the  A'/'/r  tlie  members  of 
the  expedition  learned  of  the  existence  of  a  mysterious 
jiiTsonaj^e  known  as  "  vSolomoii  (ioss."  Just  who  he  is 
they  were  unable  to  lind  out  cxce])t  that  lie  was  a  Xew- 
touudlander  -nd  that  lie  had  three  ])irthda\s  a  week, 
Tuesdays,  ThnrsdaNs  and  Sundays,  on  wdiich  da\s 
"plum  duff"  was  ser\e(l  as  dessert  in  his  honor.  Plum 
duff  is  a  ])eculiar  kind  of  ])uddinL;,  well  and  fax'orahl)' 
known  to  sailors,  and  is  made  out  of  Hour,  raisins  and 
suet.  .Most  of  the  UKMuhers  of  the  relief  ex]K'dition 
took  to  "  plum  duff,"  htit  there  were  othersof  them  who 
would  rather  "Solomon  (ioss"  had  not  been  favored  with 
more  birthdaxs  annualK    than  the  rest  of  mankind. 

(  )n  vSundax',  Jul\-  10.  iIk'  A'/'/r  (.'ntered  the  outer  limits 
of  the  "Land  of  the  Midnii^ht  Sun  ;  " — that  curious 
.\rctic  phenomenon  was  in\-isil)le,  howe\'er,  owinj^;-  to  the 
Iol;  which  liad  ])re\-ailed  for  two  <la\s,  a  condition  of 
tlie   weather  wliich    also    ])revente<l    them    from  ,t;cttiu_ii^ 


'i 


"I      lit 


THE  PEARY  RELIEE  EX/'EDIT/ON. 


303 


their  t'lrsl  j^limpsc  of  (ircculaiul  until  t\v<»  (l.i\s  latc-r, 
and  fuitluTiuorL'  caused  Captain  Pike  to  run  into  a 
lar>;e  field  of  ice  on  the  e''enin,i4  of  the  same  da\'. 
The  |)art\-  were  at  supper  at  the  time,  and  tile  first  inti- 
mation that  an\thin<^r  was  wron,!;-  was  their  hearing  one 
of  the  mates  bawl,  "  Hard  a  starboard  I  "'  at  the  top  of 
his  voice.  Runnin<;  on  deck  the\'  saw  ice  about  them 
on  everv  hand  in  ^reat  fioes,  which  (ground  a>;ainst  eacli 
other  with  a  hard,  ras])in<j^  sound  anytliin^'-  but  pleasant. 
One  huf^e  mass,  the  domes  t)f  which  reached  liij^h  above 
the  1)ulwarks  as  it  floated  by  the  vessel,  struck  and 
knocked  awav  the  larjj^e  iron  shute  used  to  dump  ashes 
into  the  sea.  Half  an  hour  brou,t;ht  the  k'i/c  throu<j[h 
these  lari;e  cakes,  wliich  Captain  Pike  said,  were  from 
tlie  eastern  shore  of  Greenland,  carried  down  by  the 
current  to  Cape  Farewell,  and  thence  north  alou,^  the 
west  coast  towards  INIclville  Bay. 

.\ftcr  passiufT  these  masses  the  vessel  had  clear  water 
fi)r  a  while,  and  then  came  uj^ou  a  j^reat  number  of 
small  fras^ments  which  proved  the  precursors  of  another 
larj^er  and  more  difficult  i)ack  to  ])ass  throuj^h,  and 
which  in  fact  she  did  not  .i;et  out  of  fi)r  two  or  three  (Ia\s, 
and  then  only  after  man\-  retrerits,  buttiny^s  and  search- 
in,i;-  for  leads,  during-  which  mau(eu\res  .Mr.  I)umi)liy 
and  Mr.  Mur]jh\-  were  kept  l)us\-  in  the  crow's-nest,  a 
laro-c  barrel  at  the  foremast,  shouLin!;  :  ''  vSteadw"  "  Star- 
board," ''.Steady,"  "Port."  and  now  and  then  the 
exasperating^   order    to   "  P»urn   her  down,"  that   is  stop 

the  engines  and  la\'  to. 
20 


304 


/X  ARCTIC  SEAS, 


Duriii.n  oiK'of  llu'se  periods  of  "  la\iii,!^  to."  a  imiiihfr 
of  llu'  i)arly  clanibi'ivd  oxir  llu-  si(K'  of  llif  xlsscI  oil  to 
a  lai'i^v  cake  of  ici.'  and  fiudiii^  I  he  it  a  (|uautit\  of  snow, 
betook  thcmselws  to  the  undi.i^uified  s])ort  of  'ow  hall- 
in}4,  until  the  cr\-  of  "seal"  pnl  a  stop  to  tl  _  ,a\,  and 
sent  some  of  the  l)o\s  in  an  unsuccessful  stalk  for  the 
animal,  which  was  some  two  miles  awa\'. 


The  Kite  f^ol  out  of  the  ice  finally  on  Tuesda\-  nioru- 
in<^,  Jul\-  12,  and  soon  after,  the  fo.iL,^  lifted  and  those  on 
board  had  their  first  si^lit  of  (ireenhuid.  The\-  were 
a  short  distance  above  Cape  Desolation,  iv^t  far  from  the 
same  spot  where  the  bold  na\i,nator,  John  Davis,  found 
himself  loll!:;-  years  a<^().  Like  them,  he  arrix'ed  in  the 
midst  of  a  j^reat  fojj^  and  hearing- a  i;reat  roarinj;- noise,  he 
put  forth  in  a  boat.  Returning  he  reported  to  his  com- 
rades that  they  were  near  a  nigged  shore  on  wdiich  there 
was  no  vegetation  and  that  the  rocks  wdiich  composed 


\ 


U 


riiE  PiiARY  Ri:i.ii:i-  lixriniiiox. 


V>5 


it  wiTi'  coMTrd  1)\  nothing  hul  ict.'  ami  ^iiow.  'IMkti'- 
luiv,  1k'  nanud  iIk'  place  the  Land  of  Desolation,  and 
then.'  is  a  ^ingnlar  ai)i)ii>i)rialen(.ss   in   llu'  name.      l-'roui 


this    jxiint   to   the   is 


and  oi'   Disko,  the  eoast   line  is  a 


sn 


eeession  of  eonxadsions,  jaj^ged  peaks,  giwit  erexasse; 


(lonK-liue  islands  an( 


I'jl: 


leuTs. 


(  )n  iIk' same  night  Mr.  Mnr])li\,  thelhst  mate,  ealled  all 
hands  on  (Uek  to  witness  sneh  a  snceession  of  pheiioniena 
a>  kept  them  rnnning  from  one  side  of  ihe  wssrl  to 
the  other  to  see  them  all.  There  was  the  snn,  at  ele\en 
o'eloek  at  night,  sinking  below  the  hori/on  jnst  a  little 


\\ 


est  of  north — a  brilliant  snnset  ni  the  sonth- 


ranil)ow   rnnnmu' 


tl 


iro 


ngii   tile  ])ink   radianee  ot    tins  to 


a  gorgeous 
th 


the  (.asl — a  wonder:  \\  mirage  in  tin.'  north — tlu'  gleam  of 
a  coming  smirise  a  little  east  of  north — all  at  tlie  same 
time.  IJesides  this,  the  needle  of  the  ship's  compass 
was  ])ointing  westward  and  the  air,  althongh  the  tlur- 
niometer  imlieatcd  thirt\-fonr  degrees,  felt  (piite  warm. 
About  the  ves.sel  were  huge  icebergs,  colored  by  the  set- 
ting snn  crim.s(jn,  blue  and  violet,  sparkling  like  jewels. 
<  )n  the  following  da\'  the  .Vrctic  circle  was  passefl 
and  the  occasion  was  appr()])riatel\-  celebrated  by  songs 
and  games,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  next  da\-,  Jnl\-  14, 
the  Kitr  entered  (iodha\n.  It  was  a  beautiful  da\-,  the 
laiiest  e.\i)erienced  since  the  departure  from  St.  Johns. 
There  was  not  a  cloud  in  the  sk\-  and  the  sun  shone  in  the 
niorning  with  a  mild  glow  which  tempered  the  otherwise 
cool  atmosphere  and  made  it  delightfully  bracing.  Ivu'h' 
in  the  niorning  the  vessel  steamed  past  a  conipanx-  (jf 


mmmmm 


|!  ti 


'  f 


\\w 


T,i.y(} 


IN  .lA'CV/C  S/i/lS. 


it'll )(.'ri;s  oil  tlu'ir  sik-ul  luarcli  in  siii,i;k'  Ilk'  towards  Mtl- 
\ilk'  \Va\.  'Vhvsv  l)(.'i<4S  \\\vv  of  all  si/.ts,  and  no  two 
alikf  sa\-(.'  i"or  tluir  wliitiiuss  and  (iK'ir  niaiidcnr. 

l'",ric  till.'  Ki'd,  wild  old  iR'atlicii  thai  lu'  was,  had  soiin' 
support  for  his  (kcfptioii,  wlun  a  ihonsaiid  yi-ars  aj^^o  Ik- 
oalk'd  the  c-oiintr\  ( irti'iiland,  for  diiriii;^  ihf  sniniiRr 
the  «'ival  basalt  cliirs  arc  clollitd  in  a  iiianlk'  of  L-nicrald 


;! 


!!• 


siKLii  1)\'  j^ivat  patclus  of  bright  ^ri'tii  moss  and  i^rass, 
and  tlu'  Ni'i'dnri'  of  rifcjuiii^  willows.  About  i\\v  o'clock 
till.'  ))rop(.'lkr  of  tin.  A'i/r  txasi-d  rrxohiri!.;,  and,  to  tin.- 
answL'rin.^  sii^nal  of  the  steam  whistle,  a  boat  put  ott 
troin  shore.  briniL^in^  on  board  a  hall-bni'd  ]iilot,  who 
soon  landed  the  iiieiiibeis  oi'  the  e.xpedilion  at  the  settle- 
ment 1)1"  <iodha\n. 


I   I 


I 


c  II  .\  I'T  ]•;  \i  \- 1 . 

(diiciAi,  l\i:c()''.Nri'i()N  III'  I'iii:  l'',\i'i.i>rrii)\. — An   ICsKnin    Intik- 

I'Kl.n.K.        ei.l.MKIM.    A    (■I.AMI.K.        1  N    .\I  I  .  I.  \  I  1. 1. 1'.    I '.  \  N  . 


1^  .\(  )\\"i  .\(  I  Irnill  \Kl>[  cx]  rricllrr  ll(i\v  .stlicllx  liU' 
*-  I  )aiiiNli  i^oviiiiiiuiil  ill  Siiiilli  (  "imiil.iinl  t-iuKaN'ois 
1(1  rnlDri-c  \]\c  !:i\v-^  iilaliiiL;  [<>  iN  Ari.lu-  poSM  .-sioii^, 
I'liilrs.^or  Ilt-ilpiin  iKtnrr  lca\iu;_;  riiilaiK-lplii.i  lnok  lIu- 
]iri.cautinn  ot'  ^rcnriiiL;  iVum  l)(iiinark,  tlinm^Ii  []]c 
I  )(.'])arliii(.'iil  (if  Slalf  at  \\'a>liiiiL;liiii,  an  (illicial  rccuL^iii- 
lidii  of  iIk-  ki-lii'f  I'',\j)i(lili(iii.  A->  a  riNuli,  wlicn  ilu- 
AV/(  arriwd  a'l  (  Hxlliaxti  (Ui  jnl\  i  ),  it  \\a>  ImiukI  iliat 
llu-  ;^()\  (.riinr  <it"  lliat  plan-  hail  iiwt  <i!il\'  hc-ni  aii]iri>(.-(l 
ol  llu-  I'liiiiiiiL;  <it  tlu'  cwiK'ditiiiii,  hiil  had  ri(ii\id  iii- 
stnulions  to  txtnid  i\fr\  courtc^x  and  do  c\(.r\  tiling; 
ill  liis  ])o\vrr  to  rurtlui"  il>  iiitfi'C'Nts.  It  \va^  snl)>K|iu-iitly 
a>ciTtaiii(,'d  that  similar  ordrrs  had  ln-tii  L^isrii  toi\Ti\ 
inspiTtoi"  and  ^o\irnor  on  the  cntiif  \vr>l  coast  <it 
( iinnland. 

At  the  n.'(|m'>l  ol  rrori.>sor  I  Icilprin,  thr  iiuinhrrs  ot^ 
]'''s  part\-  wnx'  ])roiii])il\  fnrnislud  with  liir  cloihinL;  and 
with  ail  inti-rprc'trr  to  ac'c'()in|)an\  tluni  lor  tlu-  riinain- 
diT  ol    iIk-  \o\aL;i'. 

Tliis  iiilcrprfli-r,  I)aiiiil  IlrohriL^-  1)\  naiiK-,  was  the 
iK'])hrw  ot"  the   w(.'althir>t    I'',>kinio   in    iIk-   s(.llK-iiu.-nl,  a 


'mmmt. 


30S 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


*!l' 


\ 


man  reputed  to  have  tlie  simiu^  sum  of  $500  laid  away  in 
the  bank.  Daniel  was  one  of  the  five  male  servants  of 
the  officials  of  Clodhavn,  and  the  jolliest  of  j^ood-natnred 
Eskimos.  lie  was  about  twenty-two  years  old,  short  of 
stature  and  stout  of  form,  and  prided  himself  on  the  fact 
that  he  "  nnic'.i   wash." 

Da:iiel  was  t^reatly  pleased  to  be  asked  to  accompany 
the  part)'  on  their  journey  north,  but  with  a  wisdom 
hij^hly  commendable,  born  probably  of  j^ruesome  talcs 
related  I)y  his  brethren  of  their  treatment  by  some  former 
expeditions,  before  aj^reeinj^  to  j^o,  he  insisted  on  several 
coriditions.  Amon<^  these  were,  that  no  one  should  order 
him  to  do  any  work  exci'pt  accredited  mend)ers  of  the 
party  ;  that  in  case  of  his  meetiuiL;-  with  an\-  accident  he 
or  his  relatives  should  receive  a  substantial  money  in- 
demnity ;  that  when  his  services  as  an  interpreter  weie 
no  lou<^er  needed  he  should  be  returned  to  Godhavn, 
and  that  he  should  recei\-e  a  stated  sum  and  his  focul 
while  with  the  jiarty.  Althou.nh  Daniers  iMiiL^lish  was 
extremelv  limited,  still,  as  he  receixed  such  a  j^ood 
character,  which  his  appearance  bore  out,  and  as  he 
appeared  very  brij^hl  ;is  well  as  j^ood-uatured,  his  terms 
were  acceded  to  and  he  was  eiij^a.^ed. 

The  settlement  of  these  and  se\eral  other  matters  re- 
quired a  sta\'  in  Crodhavn  of  some  Iwenty-four  hours, 
and  the  interxals  were  occupied  by  \i.sils  to  \arious 
points  of  interest.  One  of  these  was  a  glacier  on  the 
island  of  Disko,  which  it  was  asserted  had  ne\er  but 
once  before  l)eeu  ascendeil.      The   path   to   this   ri\er  of 


rilE  PEA R  ) '  RELIEF  EXPEDl  TION.  ;,o9 

ice  was  for  a  portion  of  tlic  \va\-  tliroui^h  I'lauzx-  Dai.-!  or 
Windy  Valley  up  to  a  dcfj)  t^or^c  or  crrvassc  in  the 
earth  whicli  extends  from  the  snnnnit  of  the  isknid  to 
tlic  Red  River  and  is  known  astlie  Devil's  Hole.  At  the 
bottom  of  this  j^or^e  an  an_4r\-  torrent  dashed,  roarin,^:;- 
sullenly,  in  tunndtuous  eascades  over  the  roeks.  The 
route  was  roni^di  and  tiresome  from  the  be.^innin.t;-  and 
grew  more  so  as  the  j^laeier  was  approached,  makinj^^ 
frequent  rests  necessary.  At  len.^th  the  'party  came  to 
an  innnense  tenninal  moraine  which  formed  a  barrier 
more  than  forty  feet  hij^h.  One  end  of  this  moraine 
had  been  torn  awa\-  by  the  action  of  the  stream,  leaxing- 
an  incline  composed  of  loose  stones  reaching;  down  to 
the  ed,!^re  of  the  DexiTs  Hole.  Across  this  incline,  where 
a  sinj^le  misstep  or  the  slidini^r  of  a  single  stone  mii^ht 
prove  fatal,  the  ])arty  were  obli<;ed  to  pick  their  wa\  ;  it 
was  with  considerable  hesitation  that  the\-  \entnred  on 
the  treacherous  spot,  and  all  breathed  freer  when  safe  on 
the  other  side. 

A  short  distance  beyond,  the  ,y;lacier  was  reached,  and 
the  ascent  of  its  forty  feet  of  wall  to  the  lateral  mo- 
raine was  snccessfulh'  accomplished.  iMom  its  >ouree, 
the  ice-cap,  the  ri\er  of  ice  came  down  to  its  discharL>in<r 
l)oint  in  a  hn.i^e  white  dome,  across  which  were-  marks 
in  man\-  directions  like  ^reat  scratches  upon  it--  sur- 
face. These  scratches  had  once  been  cre\asses,  b;it  bv 
.some  freak  ot  ice  mownunt  had  bei-diiK-  closed.  I  lire 
and  there,  howe\er,  were  cre\as>es  whit'h  were  \  et  npcn. 
These  when  looked  down    into  displawd   hanL;in>;    from 


-J3snBffliaatoftK»*i»*tt»feaptfl(^ 


3i< 


A\'  ANcnc  s/-:,is. 


\\W. 


tlicir  liliR-  si(k'>  imriads  of  icick-s,  and  wIku  aii\  dl"  tlu-ni 
\ww  kii()c-kL-(l  off  lk(.'\-  k'll  into  llir  unknown  (kplks  with 
a  (.'kinL;(iriMi>  sound  likr  lliu  rini^in^  of  kills. 

As  lla- sunnnil  of  llir  i^iacicT  was  approaclu-d  it  was 
disi-o\-crc(l  to  liaw  a  trikutarx,  a  -nialkr  slrcani  of  irr, 
wliick  (.-niiilird  inlo  llir  main  kod\-  willi  a  lorci'  thai 
al  lilt.-  junction  had  torn  koili  u]i  wildK.  Akow  this 
was  tlu'  cir(|U(.' or  ncxc  kasin  into  whirli  the-  i_;ri.-al  icc- 
ca])  ci'o\vnin,L;  llu-  whok-  island  pours  its  sr.])iil\'  lor  I  he 
,i;Ia(d(.'r. 

I'roni  this  ])oint  a  \\\\v  \ii'W  of  iIk-  surronnclini^s  w;is 
oklaincd.  (  )n  llir  k-ft  far  kflow,  ncsllrd  on  llu-  rock\ 
shores  of  llu' piclurcsijui.'  littlr  ka\'  was  scxai  the  scUk- 
lutnl  of'iodhax-n;  to  ihr  rii;hl  la\-  llie  kroad  ocean, 
(in  whose  surface  floated  countless  icekeri^s  all  silenlK' 
and  niajv'slicalk'  nioxiui;'  in  procession  nortkward  to 
l\Kl\ille  l'>a\-,  Ik'Nond,  o\-er  the  coast  of  llie  mainland 
ihe  ice-ca])  ol  ( k"(.".'n]aud  rolled  lo  ihe  hori/on,  a  pure 
while  slreak  ai;;iinsl  thekluesky. 

(  )n  anollier  occasion  two  of  the  parl\\  Ike  writer  ke- 
iuL;  one,  explored  lUau/y  I)ael,  lliat  lo\el\'  \alle\  once 
ihe  ked  of  a  glacier,  kul  now  elollud  with  ^n-en  moss, 
dwarf  willows  and  kirches,  and  dolled  with  Arctic  wild 
flowers  whose  pretty  faces  smiled  defiance  al  ihe  desu- 
lalion  near  them. 

k'ollowin^  the  Red  Riwr  the  two  ad\-enlurers  came 
finalk  into  a  spol  of  i^reat  lo\-eliness.  'i'o  ihe  left  ihe 
valle\-  lren(k'd.  Close  to  ikem  la\-  a  lake  ])erliaps  a 
mile   in   leuj^lh    formed  ky  niellin.^  snow,  so    clear,  that 


c 

c 


> 


M»^ 


1: 


mmmmm 


i 

i 

1 

i 

i 
i 

^ 

i 

THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXEEPrr/ON. 


313 


thoil!i;li  (k'cp,  its  Ijotloin  was  plainly  visihk-,  and  so  still, 
tluit  the  adjacent  I'.ills  wtix'  rcncctcd  on  its  snrface  so 
sliarply  that  but  for  tla-  small  frin.^c  hftwcLii  thcni  and 
the  water's  cdi^v  it  would  have  been  iinpossibk-  to  tell 
where  the  hills  ended  or  the  reflection  be^an.  These 
hills  on  the  east  have  abscjlulely  peri)endicnlar  sides  sheer 
lip  to  their  flat  tops,  and  stand  in  array  one  elosel\-  fol- 
k)win<;^  the  other  like  a  row  of  hn^e  red  boxes.  ( )n  the 
west  the  hills  slope  towards  the  ice-cap,  and  are  scarred 
by  tlic  action  of  a  lon}^-<;one  <;lacier  and  worn  by  many 
streams  which  flow  from  the  ice.  Several  lofty  water- 
falls wdiich  add  to  the  turmoil  of  the  Red  River's  run 
to  the  sea,  and  the  many  i)atches  of  ice  which  lay  in 
sliady  spots  amonj^  the  red  hills  to.ijethor  with  the 
stretches  of  soft  green  moss  from  which  peeped  the 
white  and  yellow  Aictic  flowers,  lent  the  scene  a  sini^ular 
beaut\-  as  charniini;-  as  it  was  unexpected  in  these  hii^h 
latitudes. 

The  necessary  work  in  (iodhavn  accomplishe(l,  the 
parts  left  that  i)lace  in  the  afternoon  for  rpernavik. 
Fond  fivi-wells  were  waxed  to  Daniel  b\  the  l'',skinio 
belles,  and  the  former  as  the  settlement  faded  from  si^lit 
informed  his  new  emplo\ers,  with  a  ^dod-nalured  L;riu 
upon  his  red-brown  face,  that  he  felt  as  though  lu'  could 
"  much  er\ . " 

After  kaxiuL;  Oodhax'U  the  AV/r  was  kept  close  to 
the  coast,  and  as  the  weather  was  \ery  fine,  there  were 
excellent  opportunities  for  seeing  and  enjoxiuL;  the 
scener\-,    which    continued    to    i;r(jw    more    \aried    and 


,14 


IN  .lA'C/Vl    S/'.IS. 


^\W 


IM 


intcresUiii;  as  \vc  aih'aiiceil  fiirllifr  norlhwanl.  Amon^' 
llic  iiiosl  sin^^^nlar  and  >lrik;ni;  plKaioiiK'ua  art.'  lliu  sliari) 
ridj^L'S  of  {hv  iiiDiiiUaiiis  at  llir  juiK-lioii  of  llir  ocean  and 
a  fiord.  (.)\\v  of  llic  mo-^t  rrniarkahlf  of  lliusr  is  Si-'rlok 
I'oinl  on  DInUo  Inland,  wliirli  forms  llic  lowv^r  al)ulnK'nt 
of  (  >oniiak  liord  \h\\\  the  sloi)r  ficin^  llu'  fiord  and 
thai  wliic-li  fronts  the  ocean,  tlion.i^h  holli  arc  coni- 
para.tix'cly  gentle,  taper  to  sucli  a  jjoint  that  tlie  i-rest 
of  tlie  mass,  more  than  jooo  feet  hi^L^h,  is  so  sharj),  t!iat 
no  pkice  in  an\-  part  of  its  entire  len;.>th  from  where  it 
emerges  out  of  the-  water  to  ils  snnimit  is  wide  enon,i:;li 
to  sui)port  a  man. 

The  A'/A' reached  l'perna\ik  al)out  mi(hii,^ht  of  July 
17,  and  0.1  l!ie  noon  of  the  f)ilowiii!4'  diy,  the  meud)er.s 
of  the  exi)e(lilion  haN'in,;;-  i)aid  their  respects  to  Inspector 
Andersen  and  Mr.  r>yer>,  llie  m)\ernor  of  the  settle- 
ment, the  \oya.L;e  was  resumed,  the  A'/A'  1  eirii;  pushed 
ra])idl\'  toward  Duck  Island. 

The  sun  shone  with  all  its  power  and  made  the  day 
uncomfortably  warm.  There  was  also  a  hea\"\'  sea  run- 
u'uv^  andi  the  \essel  pitched  and  tossed  dreadfully. 
Towards  ni.nht.  however,  the  sea  h.ad  heconie  more  calm, 
hut  there  was  a  thick  foi;-,  so  that  it  became  impossible 
to  see  more  than  a  few  boat  len,«;ths  ahead.  Throu<;h 
this  dam]-)  curtain  the  A'/'/r  slowl\-  .groped  her  way  till 
moruiu,^,  when  the  fo^  lifted  and  Dack  Island  appeared 
but  a  few  ship's  lengths  on  the  starboard.  A  boat 
was  lowered  at  once,  and  an  eaj^er  lot  of  hunters 
were     rowed    ashore,  includin;/   the    Professor    and    our 


77//-;  /V-;./A'}'  RE  1. 1  El'  EXPEDITION. 


y  •  5 


intcrprL'tiT,  Dauit-l,  the  lattt-r  two  bciil  on  llu'  iiinR' 
peaceful  occupation  of  (.■•^j^'-  j^atlicrin};-.  Within  five 
inituitcs  after  landinj:;-  the  hunters  were  nierri!\  han,^- 
in<^  away,  spreadinj^  carnaj^e  and  death  anioiiL^-  the  eider 
ducks  which  tlew  !)>■  the  thousands  alTrij^hted  o\t.r  the 
rocky  little  island.  At  length  their  cartrid.i^es  tiaxe  out, 
and  one  hy  one  the\-  relnetanth-  returned  owr  the 
rocks  to  the  boat,  tired  but  happy,  and  bendini;  uiuler 
the  \vei>;ht  of  the  lars.^e  and  toothsome  birds  they  had 
slau.!nlitered. 

vSoou  after  the  Kil '  once  UKnv  .^ot  under  wa\-  the  foi; 
came  on  a.^ain,  and  progress  was  so  slow  that  allhoujL^h 
under  favorable  conditions  it  is  but  a  few  hours'  sail,  it 
was  not  until  early  on  the  foll()win<4-  niornin.L;  that  the 
vessel  entered  the  dreaded  Melville  Uay,  and  was  abreast 
of  Devil's  Tliund).  I'.etween  the  latter  point  and  the 
ship  was  a  vast  field  of  ice  but  to  the  left  and  ahead  was 
clear  water.  'IMiis  was  a  source  of  ^reat  satisfaction  to 
Captain  I'ike,  ;is  it  was  at  this  point  the  A'//r  wascaui^ht 
last  year  and  detained  three  weeks  by  ])ack-iee. 

The  A'/A  was  not  to  ha\e  clear  sailing  \"er\'  lou^, 
howe\'er,  for  in  three  hours  after  entering-  the  bay  there 
was  ice  about  on  all  sides,  and  Mr.  Duinphy  v,as  ke])t 
l)us\-  in  the  crow's  nest  calliu!,;,  "port,"  ">tea(l\," 
"starboard,"  "steady,"  until  the  \er\-  ecb.oes  ^eiuted 
to  take  u])aud  re]ieat  the  words.  l'"oi-lunalely  llie  I'akes, 
though  uian\-  of  tluni  were  miles  in  extent,  were  rotten, 
and  when  a  lead  iMided  it  wa^  eomparati\el\'  an  easy 
task    tor   the   A'/A'   to  butt   her  wa\-  throU''h    to  tlie  next 


3i6 


JN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


fin. 


lead  without  more  (lania<j^e  than  llif  smasliin_i,r  of  a  few 
pieces  of  loose  crocker\-  in  llie  i^allex',  so  tliat  the  tyros 
ill  Arctic  iiavij^atiou  bei^^an  to  think  Melville  P)a\-  was 
not  the  terrible  place  it  had  been  described.  But 
before  midnight  the\  were  nndecei\-ed.  Shortl\  after 
ten    o'clock    the\-    beheld    about  them    a    vast    ice-field 


%\ 


ICK-SAir.ING. 

strctchin.u:  ahead,  and  to  the  east  and  west,  as  far  as  the 
eye  cotild  reach  in  one  unbroken  sheet,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  lead  behind  closed  up,  leavin.i;  the  vessel 
locked  in  a  lake  of  water  barel\-  lar^e  enou.i;h  to 
hold  her.  Reluctantly  Captain  Pike  .t^ave  the  order  to 
''burn  her  down,"  and  made  preparations  to  take  things 


THE  PEARY  REIJEF  EXrEPiriON. 


.^'7 


easy  until  a  lead  should  open  up  and  kl  llie  ship 
throu,>;h.  Towards  niorninj^  tlii.'  chance  came,  hut  a  few 
hours  later  the  vessel  was  tied  up  a.^ain,  this  time 
enveloped  in  a  dense  fo*;.  When  at  length  a  lead  was 
found,  the  foi;-  still  remained,  liftin.^  onl\-  just  1ou,l;- 
enou,t^di  for  the  k'ilr  to  avoid  runniniL;-  a_i^nuust  two  ice- 
bert,^s  which  towered  hi,nh  al)o\e  the  mainmast. 

One  of  these  beri,rs  is  well  known  as  tlu  \ast  mountain 
of  ice  which  has  been  ,L,rrounded  in  Melville  \\\.\\  since 
1S57,  when  it  was  observed  and  located  1)\-  McClintock. 
A  moment  later  a  faint  outline  of  the  .Sabine  Islands 
was  seen  in  the  distance  and  then  the  foj^^  |\.ll  a,L;ain. 
These  Islands  ha\-e  been  the  scene  of  many  Arctic  trou- 
bles. Xear  them  IIa\es  was  cauoht  in  186-  iu  the 
Paiillici-.  In  their  vicinity  al.st),  McClintock  floated  about 
all  winter  in  the  /v.r,  locked  fast  in  the  ice.  Here,  too, 
tlu'  /'i-iiiuss  ( 'haii()l((\  counnanded  b\-  Cajjtain  Denchers, 
was  nipped  and  lost,  j^ivin,^-  the  crew  but  ten  minutes 
lime  to  escape. 

Xex'erthcle.ss.  rei^ardless  of  the  fo^;-,  in  spite  of  the  ice, 
the  k'iti-  mo\ed  more  or  less  steadiK-  forward  with  such 
good  results  that  earl\-  on  I'rida\-  niornini^,  Jul\-  22,  she 
had  ]xissed  throu.i,di  Melville  Ua)- and  was  at  Cape  York, 
with  a  record  to  her  credit  of  the  third  fastest  passa,^a' 
ever  made  through  those  waters  by  any  expedition  ;  the 
first  and  secon<l  best  records,  it  may  be  remarked,  were 
also  made  by  Captain  Tike. 


\i' 


i; 


CTTAPTKK    VII. 

Till';  Cai'K  VdUK    AM)   \i:iii;i,rMii':   Ivskimos.  — DisTuiitrrioN   ok 

CflKTS  — MiCiniNC,    C.IDSON,    I)K.    CnoK    AND    VKKIC<)I;1'1'. 

AS  the  AVA'  approaclu'd  the  shores  of  Cape  York 
voices  wc'R- heard  cryiiij^  :  "  Ki-ino  !  Ki-nu)  !  " 
and  a  iVw  iiiinutcs  hiter,  as  the  vessel  was  brous^ht  to, 
the  whole  Irihe  of  wild,  fnr-clad  I'.skiinos,  who  dwell 
there,  appeared  ou  the  shore.  Some  made  their  way  to 
the  ship,  over  the  tloe  ice,  piishin,i;  sledj^es,  while  others 
came  throu,!:;li  leads  in  iiide  kajaks.  .\  kajaker  was  the 
first  to  come  on  board,  bnt  he  was  speedily  followed  by 
the  others.  More  than  twenty  of  them  were  soon  on 
deck,  chatterini^'  with  all  their  mi!^;lit  and  main,  and 
desiruns  of  tradin.i;. 

Just  before  arrivin,^-  at  Cape  York,  Prof.  Ileilprin 
had  directed  that  a  number  of  the  lonj;'  hickor\  si)ear- 
luuidles  be  brou.i^ht  on  deck.  These  the  huskies 
pre.sentl\-  esjiied  and  bei^an  to  seize,  and  it  was  only 
with  the  greatest  diiricult\-  that  they  could  be  restrained 
from  remo\inL;'  them  at  once.  They  then  _<;a\e  free 
vent  to  their  curiositx"  and  swarmed  over  r\r' ^iliiug, 
not  even  the  eni^ine-room,  the  foreca-  'i-,  the  riL^L^in,!; 
escai)inj;  a  \isit.      The  first  efforts  .  Ileilprin       Te 

directed   to  the  obtaining,  if  possi         of  some  new  ^  of 
Lieut.  Pear\ ,  and  with  the  aid  of  Danu  .,  tb     interpreter, 


Tllh  PEARY  Rlil.ll.I'  EXriiDiriON. 


;>'9 


1k'  fotuid  a  Cajjc  Voik  husk  if,  who  said  that  he  had  sfcii 
lVar\-  and  his  party,  cnuincnitiii";  ihcin  all  by  nainc, 
seven  jK-rsoiis  and  two  do^s,  IK'  also  (hi'W  a  chart  of 
the  rt'jrion,  ])iitlin<4  down  with  lair  corni'tmss  ihi'  [coi- 
tion of  the  tliree  islands  of  Whak'  Sound  and  ol"  Cape 
Cie\-eland  on  MeCorniiek  I>ay,  upon  which  lu'  said  was 
the  hut  or  "  ij^loo  "  ol  Tcarx-.  Afterwards  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  man  had  visited  the  place  last  winter  and 
spent  a  month  tliere. 

Shortls'  after  all  hands  went  on  shore.  The  s])ot 
where  we  lauded  was  the  suunuer  home  of  the  Cai)e  \'ork 
l^skimos.  Their  dwelliniL^s  during  this  season  art.'  tents 
of  skin,  called  "  tupics "  ;  their  winter  (piarters,  or 
"  ij^loos,"  were  some  distance  further  on,  and  just  now 
dismantled  in  order  to  allow  the  eltuuuts  to  do  a  little 
cleausin,!:;  of  the  interiors. 

There  were  six  tents  or  tupics  in  the  SLttleuient,  and 
tlu'St'  housed  prohahh'  thirt\'  or  tliirt\-fi\e  men,  wouk'U 
and  children.  Jndi.;inL;  from  tlu'  numerous  caches 
planted  all  around,  the  i^eople  had  l)eeu  exceedingly 
fortunate  in  their  season's  huulin^  and  were  la\  iui^  up 
a  m'ood  store  of  food  for  wintrr  use. 

The  uatiws  of  Cape  \'ork  si-tui  to  hr  r.ipidly  advauc- 
inj;'  in  their  knowledL^x-  of  the  uses  of  tin.'  kajak,  for 
when  the  I\ary  parl\'  and  tlu- \\\st  ( irerulaud  expedi- 
tion visited  the  place  last  \-ear  tlie\-  found  hut  two 
of  the  rudest  characltr  ;  ])Ut  this  yiar  e\(.r\  man  owned 
one  of  the.se  useful  boats,  and  thesi' of  a  greatly  impro\cd 
pattern,  thoni,di  yet  far  troni  bcinin  as  handsome  in  model 


>t, 


I 


320 


IN  ARCTIC  Si:.lS. 


as  those  of  South  (irt'ciiland.  They  h;i\-e,  however,  the 
acIvantaiLie  of  <;reater  ])eain  and  therefore  are  not  lu-aily 
so  cranky. 

Next  to  tlieir  kajaks  and  do.i^s,  it  was  evident  that 
the  Cape  York  ICskinios  prized  a  <;^un,  and  the  three 
weapons  of  this  character  in  this  settlement  were  jeal- 
ously cherished.  Two  of  these  were  rilles  which  they 
had  received  from  the  West  (Greenland  party  last  year, 
and  were  repeaters.  The  third  j^un,  ho^vcycr,  was  a 
curiosity.  It  was  an  old  musket  barrel  to  which  a  huskie 
had  fitted  a  stock  made  out  of  a  piece  of  one  inch  pine 
board,  and  to  which  he  had  attached,  very  in<jenionsly,  a 
hannner  and  tri,L,^<;er  rauufactured  out  of  an  old  si.\- 
penny  nail  and  a  piece  of  ivory.  No  wdiite  man  would 
have  discharjred  the  •^wn  for  any  consideration,  but  its 
owner  had  no  such  feelinj^  and  fired  off  a  load  of  powder 
which  was  j^iven  him,  without  mis«;^ivin,t^s,  .scemin<;ly 
very  proud  of  the  way  it  banjjjed. 

At  Cape  York  the  first  distribution  of  .tjifts  sent  b\'  the 
])euevolent  people  of  I'hiladelphia  for  the  I^skimos  was 
made,  and  surely,  had  those  who  contributed  the  material 
witnes.scd  the  .scene,  they  vv'ould  have  felt  satisfied  that 
their  charity  was  well  bestowed.  Tl.  Ivskimos  were 
taken  aboard  ship  v/lie/e  the\'  were  drawn  up  in  line  and 
each  individiud  >j^iven  some  articles  useful  to  him 
in  his  (1;  ily  li*"e.  To  the  men  were  presented  wooil  fi)r 
sled<;es  and  kajaks  and  the  tools  wherewith  to  isuike 
them — saws,  files,  knives,  planes,  braces  and  '  its,  also 
some  of  the  hickorx'  spear  handles  and  iron  for  h.arpoons. 


77//;  PEARY  RELIEI-  KXPI:IVriOh\ 


TIr-  wuod,  which  is  more  precious  tlian  <;ol(l,  was  .v- 
ceivcd  with  the  lix'cHcst  manilcslatioiis  of  pleasure  aud 
the  wouieu  nearly  went  wild  over  the  thimbles,  knives, 
scissors,  needles  and  kettles  which  were  bestowed  uihui 
them. 

When  the  distribution  was  over  the  recipients  ran 
around  the  deck  liowlinj;  and  sin<;in,i;  for  \er\- joy,  aud 
of  Daniel  they  repeatedly  asked,  wh\-  it  was  the\-  were 
<^^'•en  such  precious  thin_^-s  for  nothin*;-.  He  was 
directed  to  explain,  sayinjj^,  afier  he  liad  done  as  re- 
quested :  "I  speakeni  American  man  i^ood.  They 
savve\'  me,  and  spcakem  American  man  i)leuty  ,<;<)od, 
and  say  thank  you." 

After  they  had  been  cpiieted  down  the\'  were  taken 
into  the  forecastle  and  <;iveu  a  hearty  repast,  which  had 
been  ordered  to  l)e  prepared  for  them  b\'  Captain  Pike, 
and  from  the  way  they  devoured  what  was  set  before 
them  it  was  evident  they  enjoyed  their  meal. 

At  length,  and  after  .some  difficulty,  the  natives  were 
cleared  off,  and  the  Kite  resumed  her  voya.^e,  runniu!^'- 
along  the  famous  Crimson  ClilTs,  so-called  from  their 
peculiarly  bright  red  color,  caused  by  the  lichens  and  red 
snow  which  covers  their  granite  rocks.  As  progress  was 
made  the  glaciers,  which  hitherto  had  been  seen  (>iil\'  at 
wide  intervals,  now  followed  each  otluM"  in  rapid  sueces- 
siou,  some  couiparati\el\-  small  in  extent,  others  of 
enormous  dimensions.  Xo  two  were  alikt'  ;  they  were 
of  a  bewildering  varietN'  of  forms,  ad\aneiug.  retreating, 
falling,  hanging,  some  winding  through  tortuous  valleys, 


I 


nwvMnmiHi 


322 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


'I: 


ullicrs  swccpiiij;-  strai<;lit  from  the  threat  ice-cap,  which 
rose  everywhere  in  a  threat  dome  l)e\()U(l  the  hills,  while 
still  another  class  was  almost  flat  like  a  iinr  (/(■  .i,'A^v. 
( )iie  j^^lacier  was  apparently  smooth  and  withont  crev- 
asses, another  cnt  with  fri.^htfn!  seams  and  chasms  ; 
some  terminated  on  he  land,  while  others  discharmd 
their  streams  of  ice  di.ectK'  into  the  sea.  <  )ne  of  these 
rivers  of  ice,  which  is  c;  lied  the  I'etowik  glacier,  is  o\er 
seven  miles  across,  and  its  face  ])rojectin]4  above  the  sea 
is  estimated  to  be  more  than  100  feet  hij^h. 

Abont  midnii^ht  of  Jnl\'  22,  the  A'/A  arrived  at  Conical 
Rock,  a  small  cone-shapt-d  island,  where  search  was 
made  for  traces  t)f  the  l'ear\  ]Kirly,  who  had  promised 
to  lea\e  snch  in  case  the\-  made  an  early  stiirt  st.nthward 
in  open  boats.  l'])  to  this  time,  while  llu'  weather  hail 
been  freiinentK'  cold,  it  had  not  been  nnc(fnifortabl\  so, 
bnt  here  for  the  first  time  in  addition  to  tin-  low  tempera- 
Inre,  which  stood  at  V'  <  'i  strong  wind  was  blowini;. 
and  for  j^reater  comfort  the  \n'^  winter  nlsters  wire 
bron^ht  out  and  ])roved  none  loo  warm.  Tlu'  k'i/i' 
steamed  slowh'  around  the  island  and  e\er\  point 
was  carefulh'  scanned,  bni  without  finding  an\  thiui;  to 
indicate  that  tlie  persons  sou;^Iit  had  been  there,  and  the 
ship  was  headed  for  W'olstenholnie  Island  on  a  >iuiilar 
search.      This  place  was  reachi-d  four  hours  later. 

When  last  winter  it  was  determined  to  send  an 
expedition  to  the  rtlief  of  Lieut.  l'ear\'  and  \\\s  jiartw 
Professor  Ileilpriu  had  sent  a  barril  containin.14  a  Utter 
to  that    efi'ect    to    St.  Johns,    with   a   reipiest   that    it    be 


ni^ 


i  m 


THE  PEAR  Y  REL  lEF  EX  PR  PI  TION.         3  23 

forwarded  by  some  whaler  to  Wolstenliolnie  Island  for 
deposit  on  its  west  side,  the  side  most  likeh'  to  be 
visited  by  a  retreatinj^  jxxrty.  The  l)arrel  was  ujiven  in 
chartre  of  Captain  JelTrey  Phillii)s,  of  the  steamship 
l\skimos,  who  faithfully  performed  the  work  entrnsted  to 
him.  The  barrel  was  readiK'  fonnd  ;  it  was  j;andily 
painted  and  set  on  a  jirominent  roek  and  fnrther  indi- 
cated by  a  fla<;stalT.  ( )n  examining;  its  contents,  in 
addition  to  the  letter  it  contained  from  the  Professor, 
another  was  found  from  Captain  Phillips,  as  follows  : 

vS.  S.  IvSKiMos,  June  13,  1892. 
To  iMKt.  R.  E.  Pcny\\   I '.  .V.  \.  : 

Sir: — This  cask  was  delivered  to  me  at  St.  Johns,  to 
be  left  for  von  at  Wolstenliolnie  Island.  \Visliiii<r  vou 
every  success  in  your  undertakinj^r^  and  with  the  hope 
that  this  will  find  you  all  well,  I  am  fiithfull\-  yours, 

Ji;i-i-ki;v  Piiii.i.ips. 

From  the  time  the  ship  left  rpernavik  to  lu-r  arrival  at 
Wolslciiholnie  Island  those  aljoard  inr  had  bci'ii  treated 
to  almost  continuous  fo^s,  or  to  chilly  and  l^Ioouu-  daxs  ; 
but  soon  after  lfa\in^  this  island  the  atniosplKiv  cleared 
as  1;'  by  maj^ic.  The  sk\-  bicanie  blue,  the  sun  shone 
out  ()ri,!L,ditl\',  and  the  temperature  rose  rapidh'  from  the 
tVee/in^  ])oiut  until  it  beeauie  almost  uueonilortabh- 
warm.  In  fii't,  b\  llie  time  C.ipe  Parr\  was  ueareil,  and 
at  the  sttlleuuut  of  the  N'eluluuiie  P'.skinios,  all  hands 
were  perspiriui;  as  iVeth'  a>  on  a  Jul\  dav  at  home. 
The.se   Ivskimos,  who   were  uiiNtaken    last    \ear   lor  the 


I  iijiiiiiviwpm»«imiMpi 


^•■"»»-m.CT>J 


324 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


Ittiblus  apiK-art'd,  if  aiu  tliin.i;,  nu)rc  joxful  at  tlu-  ap- 
proacli  of  the  ship  tliaii  those  of  Cape  York,  and 
swaniied  about  the  "  ooiniakswa,"  as  tlie\-  call  lari^e 
vessels,  with  incessant  cries  of  "  Ki-nio  !  Ki-nio  !  "  (wel- 
come !  welcome!)  Ivir  wiUler  in  dress  and  appearance 
than  tlie  natives  at   Cape  York,  they  were   \  et  the  same 


SVAWTI:N    Ill'K. 

filth\-,  i^ood-natnri'd  huskies,  that  clambered  o\er  th^- 
shi])'s  side  and  stood  upon  the  dick,  chattering  like  par- 
rots and  lau,nhin>4  at  iverythin:^  in  si^ht,  including;  the 
members'  own  precious  ])ersons.  Those  of  tlie  part\- 
who  snlfered  the  most  in  tliis  i)articular  were  the  unfor- 
tunates who  wi're  comjielled  to  wear  glasses,  and    later. 


TIfE  PEARY  RELIEE  EX/'EPmON. 


325 


on  shore,  tliosc  who  slunibk'd  and  IVII  whik-  cliinbiu}^ 
over  the  rocks.  ThcsL'  last  the  huskies  (Irrisivcly 
called  "pickaninnies"'  (ehildreii),  and  anionj;  those  who 
earned  the  title  was  jolly  Captain  Pike. 

Captain  I'ike,  howevir,  returned  ^ood  for  evil  hy 
j;ivin}j^  them  a  ^ood  meal,  wh.ieh  11k\-  dexonred  with 
that  ravenous  ai)])etite  said,  not  unjustly,  to  be  one  of  the 
chief  characteristics  of  the  dwellers  of  the  .\retic  regions. 
When  their  appetites  had  been  s;itisfied,  the  xoyai^ers 
went  ashore  to  visit  them  at  their  tupics,  which  numbered 
eleven,  and  sheltered  thirt\-six  men,  women  and  eiiil- 
dren.  The  settlement  is  deliiL^htfull)  situali-d  on  the 
northeast  side  of  Uorden  I>ay,  where  the  i.;rass  ^r.w 
hi.xurianth'  and  other  ve.L^etalion  abounded. 

lM)r  an  hour  or  more  after  landin^^  the  place  ])rt.-senti.(l 
a  livelv  scene.  Xeedles,  knixes,  scissors,  thimbles  and 
other  useful  things  were  produced  from  the  capaciou.s 
pockets  of  the  members  of  the  expedition  and  exhibited 
to  the  delighted  Ivskinios,  who  ea^erlx' aecepti'd  tluni  in 
exchange  for  lo\s,  artic-les  used  in  the  hunt  and  house- 
hold, so  that  when  the  barttrin^;  \v;;s  o\er,  the  .Vt-adeniy 
of  Natural  vScii'iices  h:id  secur'.d  a  riidi  collection  of 
West  Cirei-uland  ethuolo.i^ical  material.  In  the  tradin<; 
both  parties  were'  satisfied  ;  the  members  of  the  relief 
expedition  considered  that  tlie\-  ,i^ot  more  than  \alue 
i^iven,  whiU-  the  huskies  firnd\  belieAcd  tlu'\-  h  id  the 
advantaj^e  of  tlu- explorers.  II  i\im^  fiuislud  tradini;,  as 
at  Cape  York  a  distribution  of  ^il'lswas  in  order,  and  the 
men,  women  and  chililren  were   made  almost  liantically 


IHh. 


In 


326 


IN  ARTCIC  SEAS 


happ>-  by  the  abmulaucc  of  wood  aiul  materials  for  kajaks, 
slcd_t;es  atul  harpoons.  vSo  excited  did  the\-  beeoine  that 
the  noses  of  fnlly  one-half  of  the  jieople  bled  profnsely 
(said  to  be  a  pecnliarit\-  of  the  l^skinios  when  dee])ly 
moved)  ;  and  when  at  lenj^th  the  k'/fc  sailed  away,  she 
was  followed  for  more  than  a  mile  by  excited  kajakers, 
yellinj^  "  Tapansi,  American  man!"  and  one,  to  show 
his  jrratitnde,  rowed  close  to  the  ship's  side  and  threw 
his  harpoon  line  aboard,  with  the  exclamation, "  \Von<;a 
pclitay  ibli  "  (I  (j^ive  it  to  you). 

At  liaklnyt  Island  was  pa.ssed  a  ctirions  formation 
known  as  Hell  Rock,  which  excited  the  admiration 
of  everybody  on  board.  The  rock  is  a  nearly  circular 
shaft  of  ba.salt  which  rises  more  than  600  feet  above 
the  water  and  throui^h  an  innnen.se  ialiis  takes  on  the 
exact  form  of  a  bell.  It  is  brout>^ht  out  in  stron<j;er 
relief  by  the  pure  white  backjj;^ronnd  t)f  a  lari^e  _i»lacier 
and  the  ice-cap  shininj^-  as  white  to  the  ri.i^ht  and  left. 

The  AVA'  was  now  within  oidy  a  few  hours'  journes-  t)f 
iMcCormick  I'ay  and  the  excitement  of  the  members  of 
the  relief  expedition  rose  almost  to  fever  heat.  When 
at  lenj^th  the  outermost  ca])e  of  the  bay  came  into  view 
the  majrnificeut  panorama  of  the  coast  was  disre<;-arde(l. 
All  ex'es  were  ea,i;erl\'  directed  towards  the  cape  with 
the  wild  hope  that  somethins^  of  I'ear\'s  part\-  mi^ht  be 
seen,  thoni^h  it  was  still  ten  miles  olT  to  Rrd  ClilT  House. 

iCven  Captain  Pike  eauiL^ht  the  infectious  excitement 
and  kept  the  air  fdled  with  the  booming-  of  the  little 
cannon  and  the  shrill  shrieks  of  the  steam   whistle. 


THE  PEARY  RELIEl-  EX/'E/^/T/ON.         327 

PrfSfiitK-  Mr.    Diiiiipliy,  who  was  in  tlic  crow's-nest 
directin.o;  the  A'/a'.v  jkissu.ljc'  tlirou«>:li  tlit-  icL'-sIu'cts,  with 
a  yt'll   aiiiioutici.-(I   that   he  saw  a  nioviii<j;-  speck  on  the 
water  at   the  entrance  of   McCorniick  Hay.      Telescopes 
were  ininiediateh-  trained  on  tlie  phice  iiuHcated.      The 
speck    was   seen,  ])hick   a<;ainst    a    lni>;e    while    icel)ero, 
bnt  so  small  that   nothint:^  conld   be  made  of  it,  except 
that  it  was  niovini^^  towards  tlie  k'/'/c.      Slowly — oh  !  how 
slowly    to    the   anxions   minds  of  those  on   hoard — the 
object   (j^rew  lar^^er  and    finally  took   on    the    form   of  a 
boat,  in  which  were  a  number  of  persons.      Then   Mr. 
Dumphy,  still    in  his  post  at  the  to])    of  the  foremast, 
sent  a  spasm  of  terror  into  the  breasts  of  the  partv   by 
.shontin.s;-  in  an  excited  tone:    "HyCod,  sir,  they're  all 
huskies  in  that  whale  boat  !     They've  killed  the  Pearv 
party,"  bnt  he  almost  instantlx  set  all    rij^^ht   bv  cryinj^r 
jo\fnlly,   "  Xo,    they're   not,    sir;  they're   wavin.t,r  their 
arms;  they're  all   ri^lit  !  "      I5y   this   time   the   anxions 
ones  on  board  the  AV/r  cotdd  see  for  themselves.      There 
were  .several   ])ers()ns  in   the  boat.     JSome  of  them  were 
wax'int^  their  arms  and   seemed  to  be   jumpini;^  np  and 
<lown,  while  the  others  were  pnllinii,'-  at   the  oars  as  for 
their  lives.      Then,  a  few  moments  later,  when  the  occu- 
pants were  rec()^ni/(.(l   as  a  portion  of  the   lVar\-  part\- 
who  were  bein^-  rowed   bv  Ivskinios,  the  scene  on  board 
was  almost  beyond  descri])tion. 

Sailors  not  on  (lnt\-  were  in  the  rij^'nin^-  xellin.^,  the 
.second  mate  still  in  the  crow's  nest  shouted  himself 
hoarse,  while  the  nuMubers  of  the  exi)e(lition  were  cheer- 


328 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


li! 


'1: 


iiitj,  shaking  eacli  other  by  llic-  liaiids  and  bL-havinj^  like 
men  l)crcft  of  their  senses.  I  Jut  the  supreme  nu)nient 
came  when  the  boat  arrived  al(jnj^side  and  Dr.  Cook, 
Mr.  (iibson  and  Mr.  X'crlioeiT  climbed  tip  the  side  of 
the  vessel  and  spranjj^  on  deck.  Every  one  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  relief  exjx-dition  and  the  officers  and  crew 
of  the  Kitr  crowded  around  them  with  e.\idtin<r 
handshakes  and  almost  Insterical  j^rcctinji^s.  The 
three  men  appeared  in  splendid  condition,  niu.scular- 
lookinjj^,  deeply  tanned  by  exposure  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Mr.  N'erhoeff,  were  dressed  in  full  Eskimo  cos- 
tumes— reindeer  coat  and  trousers  and  seal-skin  boots 
that  reached  almost  to  their  knees. 

After  the  ff recti nj^s  were  over,  inquiries  were  made  for 
Ivieut.  and  Mrs.  Peary,  Mr.  Astru])  and  the  colored  ser- 
vant Hen.son.  It  was  then  learned  that  Lieut.  Peary's 
leg  had  become  sound  a!^'ain  and  that  he  and  Mr. 
Astrup  were  on  their  threat  journey  over  the  inland  ice, 
but  were  expected  back  daily,  and  that  Mrs.  Peary  and 
Henson  had  been  for  the  ten  days  previoiis  campiu}^  at 
the  head  of  McCormick  Bay  awaitinj;  their  return. 

By  the  time  these  questions  had  been  asked  and  an- 
swered the  Kile  had  passed  the  entrance  of  INIcCormick 
Bay  and  had  been  broujj^ht  to  in  front  of  Lieut.  Pear\'s 
winter  quarters.  It  was  a  few  minutes  after  eleven 
o'clock  on  the  ni^ht  of  Juh'  23. 


( 

i  j  ^^^H 

'.  '-IHI 

If  iHI 

li 

U 

CHAI'TICR  VI I r. 

N'KWS    OK    TlIM    ;;itll''S    AKKIVAI.    TAKl^.N    To    .MkS.    ri-AKV.  — IvSKIMO 

Sic.Ns  ni-  Ac.i:.— Attack  INC,  Tirn  Rk-cai'. 

A  IvTiloriill   it  was   near  iiiiduight  when   tlic   k'ile 
-^^     slowed    uj)    opposite    I'eary's    lieadcinarters,    the 
snn   slione   with    noonday  bri^ditness,  and  with    finslied 
faces,   to  whicli   tlie  warmth  of  the   weatlier  contributed 
ahont  evenly  with  the  excitement  of  the  recent  nieetinj^, 
and  tremblin.i,'-  with  snppressed  ea<,a'rness  and  impatience, 
scarce  waitinj^-  for  the  ])ro])eller   to   cease   revolvin.i;,  the 
relief  party  manned  the  lonjj^  boat.      (Jnickly  lluy  rowed 
ashore  toward  Red  ClifT  Honse  in  which  Lient.  and  Mrs. 
I'eary  and  their  companions  had  spent   ihe  winter,  and 
the  I':skimos'   settlement  which    had  within    the  \ear  of 
their  sojonrn    spnni,«;-    np  aromid   it.      Wlun   llu\    had 
landed    Dr.     Cook    detailed  a   luiskie   to  carr\-    word   to 
Mrs.   Teary   of   the  arrival  of   the  AV/r,  and  at  tlie   same 
time   take   to  her  a  i)acka,t,a-  of  letters  from  her  relatives 
ill    the    Tnitel    Slates.      The    distance   to  Mr>.  IV-ar\\s 
camp   was    fifteen    miles,  but   this   notwithstanding;,  and 
althon.i^h  the   presence  of  a  ship  is  aiiol)jc(tof   alnio>t 
irresistible  attraction   for  the  avera-e  hiiskie,  Ivpia,  tlie 
native  selected  b\-  Dr.  Cook,  without    a    ninnmir    made 
preparations    for  his  jonriie\-,  and  in  less    than   half  an 
honr  was  paddlin^-  away  in  his  kajak  on  his  errand. 


lin    .'( 


\t 


!i   ■::« 


33 


/A'  .lA'C  7VC  S/':.^S. 


SdiiicwIkiv  iboul  fux'  o'chjck  in  ihu  murning  Ecjua 
arrived  at  the  hcatl  of  McCorniick  Bay,  and  almost 
burstiniLj;  with  tlu-  news  Ik-  had,  rushed  to  the  tent  where 
Mrs.  l'ear\  was  sleeping;  ealnih  ,  and  without  an\  cere- 
nion\-  ])oked  his  liead  within  and  shouted  that  tlie 
"oouiiakswa"  was  eouie.  The  noise  lie  uiade  as  well 
as  the  intelli<;enee  he  brou.i^ht  roused  Mrs.  I*ear\-  to  full 
wakefulness  at  onee;  hut,  althonj^h  she  had  alwaxs 
looked  forward  to  the  possibility  of  a  relief  expedition 
coniin>,S  she  knew  somethiu}^  of  the  jokiuj^  habits  of  the 
natives,  and  was  inclined  to  disbelieve  the  talc  Kqua 
brou^dit.  She  told  hiui  so  in  <^ood  Eskimos,  a  lan<j;ua<re 
which  has  the  merit  of  brevity  as  well  as  directness. 
Not  at  all  abashed  or  hurt  at  this  doubt  cast  upon  his 
veracity,  Ivpia,  like  the  j^ood-natured  huskie  that  he  was, 
inunediateh-  pro\ed  his  truthfulness  by  producin<j[  the 
letters  and  adding-  tlu'  information  that  Professor  Heilprin 
was  coming;  to  see  Ik  r  the  ne.xt  day .  Havinjj^  thus  vindi- 
cated his  character,  Hcpia  betook  himself  once  more  to  his 
kajak  and  paddled  back  with  all  speed  to  the  settlement 
to  join  in  the  festivities  which  he  felt  must  be  in  pro- 
gress  there. 

Mrs.  Peary's  feelini^s  ou  realizin.i;  that  a  parts'  had 
come  to  their  rescue  can  oul\'  be  ima.i^ined;  she  sa\s  she 
was  full  of  jo\'  and  thankfulue.ss  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt  of  the  siuceritN'  of  her  e.\  press  ions,  for  howe\-er 
uiucli  she  and  hir  husband  and  their  companions  ma\ 
ha\e  beliewd  in  the  feasibility  of  the  jtroposed  escape 
to  I'peruavik  in  open  whale  boats,  the  prospect  of  such 


77/ A'  /V-.-./A"}'  h'/-:/. //■:/■  /X/'/i/UV/chV.         XM 

a  journey  and  the  almost  CL-rlain  lianlsliips  wliii-h  must 
attend  it,  could  not  liaxe  hi'tii  of  llir  nio>l  ])ka>ant 
cliaracter. 

Meanwhile   the    first    happy    Imnrs   of   nurliuL:    wire 


i  .     !.  1  Ml  l>      \  1      1<  l.!i    I   I.I  I    1       I  I'  H   Ml,. 

cnjowd  1)\-  llu'  rc-litf  ]y.\v[v  and  tin-  [\\\\-v  u-mainin^ 
nKMnl)cT>  of  llu'  lV-ar\  i-xpfdilidu  al  thr  lKadi|narli.i>. 
TliL-x-  lookc-d  throuL;!!  iIk  eo/\  lillli-  Red  Clilf  IIoiim- 
— as  thr  Aretie  mansion  was  ralU-d  from  ihr  t-ol«ir  oi'  tlir 
cliffs  near  Cape    Cleveland— and     tluA   wandered    alioiit 


Ill 


33a 


/N  .IKCTIL    SJiAS. 


IW 


I 


iiiiiuiiL;  llu-  lii])ifs  of  llu-  iiali\i'>,  kcipiiii^  up  tin-  imaii- 
wliiK'  a  fiiusiaiil  iiiti  rrliau'^i'  ol'  in.\v>.  \\'Iui(.\ci  llu'V 
Willi  liif\  wnv  Idllowtd  !)■  iIk'  l'",>l<iiii(i>.  iiKii,  woimu 
a. 1(1  (.•liililnii,  1(1  wlioiii  llu'  w  liiti'  iiuu  jiisl  ariiwd  wvw  as 
j^iial  i'urii).-«iliLS  as  i1k'\  llKin^iht-s  wiiv  to  iIk'  wliili.' 
iiKii.  TIk')-  ciilicis(.(l  llifir  clotliiiij;,  lluir  iirIIkkI  xf 
spcakinu;  was  cause  of  surprise  ;  hut  llial  wliit'Ii  sffiiK'd 
to  (.xcile  the  j^rcatfst  aiiia/ctiR'Ht  in  the  minds  of  ihesc 
j)c'(ipk'  were  tlie  heavy  hoards  which  ad<>nied  the  faces 
of  all  the  part\-  with  one  exception.  As  hair  l)e,!:;ins  to 
j^row  on  the  faces  of  the  axera^^e  ICskinio  onh'  as  old 
aj^fe  a])proac!ies,  the  abundant  hirsute  j^rowth  about  the 
mouths  and  chins  of  the  visitors  seemed  to  the  nati\es 
conclnsi\e  proof  that  all  were  "  very  ancient  men,"  and 
the\-  marveled  j^reatly  that  such  old  persons  should 
have  so  upri_i;ht  a  carria,i;e  and  walk  with  such  vij^or- 
ous  stei)s.  In  this  respect  also  Dr.  Cook  had  been  all 
winter  a  source  of  wonderment,  for  he  too  wore  ;i 
heav\'  l)eard. 

.\bout  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the  morniu}^  the  members 
of  the  relief  expedition  returned  on  board  the  A'iic  to  rest. 

On  Monda\-  mornin*i^,  the  day  followinj^,  all  but  three 
of  the  relief  expedition  and  Messrs.  Ciibson  and  VerlioefF 
with  a  number  of  Eskimos,  rowed  to  Herbert  Island  .some 
twenty  miles  distant  on  a  reindeer  hunt.  Two  others 
of  the  i)art\-  with  Daniel,  the  interpreter,  ascended  the 
clilTs  behind  Red  ClifT  House  and  made  an  attack 
on  the  inland  ice,  while  Professor  Heilprin  tramped 
to  the  head  of  the   bav  on  a  visit   to  Mrs.    Pearv.      He 


'HIE  rii ANY  Rl.l.llil-  E\ni-.l)lTIOi\. 


.V^.^ 


I 


spent  M'\<.T;il  li()ur>  with  lin,  (luring;  wliie'li  Ik-  uri^nl  tlk- 
propiict)  of  luT  iituniiiiiL;  to  tlu-  Rid  Clill  lloiisr  to 
await  tlu-  (.•oiiiiii";  ot"  I.iiut.  I'rar\  llu'if  iiistrad  of  in  tMtnp. 
In  (li)iii<4  this  I'ntlVsNor  ILilpriii  was  lunscd  h\  the  i-on- 
sitk-ratinii  that  li\in^^  in  i-atnp  in  isolatinn,  an<l  U'ft  a 
pri'\  to  htr  own  thonj^hts,  Mrs.  IV-ary  would  hrood  onxt 
lu-r  hnsl)an<rs  i-ontiinicd  ahstiu-i-.  To  his  surprise  and 
plcasiuf,  liow(.\<.r,  lu-  found  that  tin.-  yonnj;  wife's  con- 
fidence in  him  was  so  conipUte  that  she  had  not  the 
slij^jhtest  doubt  of  his  returning  in  safet\'  to  her  within 
a  few  days  of  the  time  he  expected.  .She  persisted  in 
her  determination  to  remain  and  he  the  first  to  welcome 
Lieut.  IVary  back  from  his  journey  over  the  j^reat  ice- 
cap, and  when  Professor  Ileilpriii  learned  this  he  cca.sed 
his  efTorts  to  induce  her  to  come  to  Red  ClifT  Hon.sc  and 
join  the  party. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  party  of  three  who  liad  under- 
taken to  make  an  attack  on  the  ice-cap,  traveled  from 
the  shore  back  to  the  clifTs  over  a  succession  of  ancient 
sea  beaches  risinj^  one  above  the  otl'.er  like  terraces,  all 
of  them  lieinjr  thickh'  strewn  with  shells.  iHowers 
were  found  there  jL^rowinjj;  in  wild  jjrofusion,  and  butter- 
flies and  moths  and  bees  without  stints  flew  >,Mil\  about. 
Reachin}4'  the  cliffs  the  ascent  was  bej^nm  and  continued 
laboriously  to  the  summit,  which  was  reached  at  a 
hci<jht  of  about  i^oo  feet  above  sea  level.  Here  a  <;reat 
stretch  of  t.d)le-land  was  come  upon  which  extended 
riiiht  ar.d  left  and  two  or  three  miles  towards  the  interior. 
Tile  snriace   was  perfect!)    fiat   and    for   the  most   part 


3.M 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


W 


t" 


\ 


iniuldy  and  <^c'nerally  covered  with  small  sloiics  and 
pebbles.  Muddy  and  stony  as  this  jj^round  was,  howe\er, 
as  on  the  slielvin<;'  beaches  just  traversed,  flowers  _t;rew 
j)lentifully,  the  poppies  especially  beiuj;  so  thick  that 
the  (ground  seemed  covered  ))/  a  yellow  carpet. 

Two  or  three  miles  inland  the  edge  of  the  eternal  ice- 
cap was  reached.  I)e_i;innin<^  with  neve  or  j^ranular  ice, 
coveriu}^  the  j^round  only  a  few  inches  deep,  as  the  party 
proLjressed  it  was  found  to  f,M()w  deeper  and  firmer  and 
j^radually  harden  into  the  clear  blue  ice  which  in  the 
interior  of  (rreenland  reaches  a  thickness  of  many 
thousand  feet.  This  ice,  however,  docs  not  appear  t)n 
the  surface.  It  is  covered  by  a  layer  of  snow  var\in^- 
from  one  to  six  or  more  feet  in  depth,  frozen  over  with  a 
thin  crust,  sometimes  firm  enouj>;h  to  bear  a  man's 
wei<;ht,  but  ofteuer  just  stronj;-  enough  to  be  delusi\c 
and  let  the  pedestrian  through  at  the  moment  he  fancies 
he  is  the  most  secure  from  such  a  catastrophe.  I'or  hun- 
dreds and  hundreds  of  miles  this  great  ice-cap  rolls  east 
a'.id  west  and  for  the  whole  length  of  ( ireenland  north 
and  south  it  extends,  with  a  cold  white  glare  that  is  mo>t 
terrifyi'ig.  Indeed  no  lixing  bviug  save  a  white  man 
will  \euture  upon  it.  It  is  sliunned  l)y  the  Ivskiums 
and  all  native  animals  and  birds  alike. 

The  little  ixirt\  traxersed  this  iee-field  ior  a  mile  or 
two  and  then  returned  to  tlu'  ship,  and  early  the  next 
morning  the  hunters  came  fro!u  IIerl)ert  Island  with 
several  reindeer  as  proof  of  their  prowess. 


I   '  I 


I    !: 


CHAI'TICK    IX. 

I.N  Smu'ii  SiHMi.  -  II  \\i  s'  W'intiu  <  m  \ur!  ks  — 'I'll  i:  k  i.  1'.\k- 
i-'ii:k.  — W.M.urs  IltNiisc,.  Tin;  iviMi  .\ni>  oiiii.u  l'..\rKi.Miv 
Ni)UTiii:i<i.\'  Si.tti,i;mi..nts, 

ASCl'.RT.MNIXC.  tlial  I.irul.lVan  was  lianllx  likely 
to  Rluni  iVdiii  till.'  inland  iix-  hrlnvi.-  ilir  Imirlh  or 
fiflli  of  .\a:.;asl.  rrotVsMir  I  Kilpriu,  afk-r  .1  (.Mn-^iillaliou 
with  his  c()'.n])aiiiiiiis  au'l  Captain  I'ikr,  (I'.'ii  niimd  >>u 
niak!n;.4  an  rllorl  ti)  RMclt  llu-  L;i\al  llnnilxiMl  (ilaiaii". 
This  vast  riw  I"  of  icr,  w'.iich  rvUniK  lVi>ni  I'n-  M.-\c-nl\- 
iiinlh  li)  ihf  ri;.;!ili(.'l]i  paralU-1,  i>  brlii-wd  li>  !):.■  ihr  lar,;- 
r.-^l  in  th.-  WMvld,  ami  nn  nr^ani/nl  aUnnjil  li.i>  (.Air  l)i';.-u 
made  ti>  (.'xpltMr  it. 

'I'll;'  start  wa-  niadi  nn  thr  ninriiin;^  of  Tnixl.ix ,  JnK' 
j6.  ICarh  in  the-  arinno.in  tin  A'//,  jia^-id  C.ipr  .\k\- 
aadci,  mack'  fanions  in  .\rrtic  (.xpcilition  ■,  ,M;d  i.nU;(.(l 
.Sniitii  Sonnd.  I'loni  this  point  tlu-  .\iin:'ir.in  --htiiv 
ciinld  ])v  scxai  (piitt.'  pi.iinh  ,  ami  hry.iad  it  t!i;-  ]>■.■, d-;  of 
Monnt  IlDlton.  ri>in;^  liiL^h  ah^w-  tin.' survdnmlin  ;  CMna- 
try.  It  w.i-.  a  hi-Mntifal  d.i\  ,uid  the  ■-(.•, i  Ir.in:;  i-nni- 
parati\-t.d\  iVr.-  from  iiw  tlu-  A'/A  \v.i>  k<.])t  id-i-;  u,  kcid 
so  that  thr  ronfii^nration  of  ilie  coa^t  conld  tin-  luttcr  l)c 
ol)scr\c'd.  TIk'  L;Iai-iei>  all  ah >n^  ai\-  larm-  •""'  nnnu-rous, 
and  tlirs(.\  with  t!ii-  hold  ,ind  rnL;u;'--d  loa^t  linr.  (■ond»imil 
to  a  scciK  r\-  of  sin''nlar  l)(.-,uit\  and  inlrit. -^t.      Si  inu  tiinis 


""■  I  iMiiiiipiaipnipH 


336 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


1 1 


H 


% 


for  miles  the  clifis  wt-rc  almost  fntirc-U  bare  of  snow, 
aj^aiii  they  were  buried  deep  i'l  the  mantle  of  winter. 
This  was  the  more  eurious  in  that  the  hills  seemed  all 
about  till-  same  altitude — 2(kx)  feet.  The  rock  effects, 
too,  were  odd  ;  such,  perha])s,  as  Clreenlaud  only  can 
exhibit.  The  strata  were  broken  and  contorted  in  every 
direction,  a)id  assumed  nu)st  remarkable  and  jj^rotesque 
shapes.  The  colorin.i;  also  was  e.\tremel\-  be;;utiful — 
red,  brown,  ji^reen,  purple  and  white  beiuj^  the  pre\  ail- 
\\\'^  hues.  In  stron.;-  contrast  to  this  picture  was  Jae 
American  side.  .\"u  u^-  the  coast  line  north  and  south 
and  inland  to  the  horizon  not  a  bare  rock  was  to  be  seen. 
Kverythin;^  appeared  to  be  covered  by  one  \-ast  ice  sheet 
that  gleamed  cold  and  white  in  the  sunli}.;ht  without  a 
sparkle.  Indeed  from  Disko  all  the  wav  up  to  the  j)oint 
now  reached  there  was  little  to  be  seen  on  the  (ireenland 
coast  to  remind  one  of  the  cold  and  rijj^or  v  '"  the  climate. 
The  air  for  the  most  part  had  been  balmy  and  sprin<rlike, 
and  insects,  birds,  flowers  and  j^rass  were  abundant.  Hut, 
gazinj^-  at  this  desolate  .\merici'.n  shore,  one  realized  for 
the  first  time  that  there  were  within  the  Arctic  circle 
spots  to  be  shunned  by  livin<^-  beinj;s,  and  that  there  was 
•son.e  .ground  for  the  terror  which  is  j^enerally  inspired 
bv  the  suj^-.ijestion  of  a  jtnirne\  to  the  far  North. 

Soon  after  doiiblin<;  Cape  .\lexander  we  saw  and 
presently  pa.sscd  I'oint  b^oidke,  one  of  the  boundaries  of 
Hartstene  Ha\ ,  a  place  made  miinorable  by  Dr.  Hayes, 
who  spent  one  winter  lli<re.  It  is  an  ideal  spot  fo  an 
Arctic  winter  (quarters.      Sheltered  by  clilTs,  which  tower 


I    ;. 


THE  PEARY  REIJEF  RXPEnniON. 


-5  -*  •* 


more  tlian  2()(k)  feci  in  almost  sheer  precipices,  and  coiii- 
man(lin<4  a  splendid  view  of  the  sea,  one  can  well  believe 
the  stor\'  that  Hayes  and  his  part\-  had  what  tlicN-  called 
a  "  n-j^nlar  i)icnic"'  dnrin^;  the  winter  of  iS6()-V)i. 

All  aronn;!  now  was  historical  iLironnd.  Not  far  below 
Point  I'^onlke  is  the  i)oint  of  land  on  which  Captain 
Pike  spent  the  first  ni.^ht  after  the  wreck  of  the  ProUus^ 
jnst  two  days  over  nine  \ears  a)^o.  A  few  miles  alx)ve 
is  I/itlleton  Island,  at  which  the  A'/A' arrived  a  few  hours 
later.  Here  was  fonnd  a  (piantitN'  of  coal  which  had 
been  cached  on  the  island  for  the  nse  of  the  Cireely  party 
should  they  reach  the  place. 

Up  to  this  time  e\er\  tiling  had  j^one  smoothly  with 
ns  and  all  sij^ns  i)ointed  to  a  speedy  and  snccessfnl  voy- 
a.ije  to  the  Hnnd)oldt  (ilacier,  if  not  fnrther.  Pnt  for 
once  fortune  ceased  to  smih;  on  the  e\])e<lition.  About 
ten  o'clock  on  the  nij^ht  of  July  25  the  ice  blink  was 
seen  in  the  sky  ahead,  and  exacth'  at  tweKe  o'clock  the 
Kilr  ran  her  bow  into  a  solid  (leld  of  ice,  which  extended 
without  a  break  from  the  (ireenhuxl  to  the  .\merican 
shores,  nuikinjj;-  an  impassible  barrier  to  further  pro- 
^•ress. 

Captain  Pike  made  the  \esscl  fast,  and  announced 
with  e\ident  satisfaction  that  \\v  coiild  take  the  Kilt-  no 
fnrther  ;  that  we  on^ht  to  be  satisfied  an\  how,  as  no 
other  XLSSel  except  the  .  lc/:'tiihi'  and  tlie  /^i/iir/s  had  i'\er 
j^ot  so  far  north  on  the  (  ireeniaud  .  le  as  this  one  had. 
Captain  Pike  had  not  been  hilarious  at  au\  timi'  o\-er 
this  supplementary   trip,   and    none  of  the   part)'  could 


Mi 


H 


?2¥*f^'WW!!BBSHBRl 


3,1^ 


IN  ARCTIC  SliAS. 


\V^ 


1: 


I'laiiu-  liiiu,  Inr  iVmii  tlir  ^liip  un-.  plaiiilv  \  i^illl^•  tin-  ^])()t 
wIhIT  IIk-  ri'dli  ii\  \va^  losl,  ami  llu-  phu'c  llu-irtnic-  CDiild 
uol  lia\i-  si'iy  ])Uasaiil  ass(icMalii>n>  for  liiiii. 

It  was  iiiidiiiLjht,  ami  wilIi  tlu-  smi  \\v^\\  in  tin-  Imri/on, 
tlif  sciMii-  was  oiii'  til  It.'  mm  inlnitd.  .\li(a<l  nl  tin- 
\TSM'l  ua>  till'  .!.;!t-at  luM  of  ici\  ti-ii  fri'l  or  imui-  thick, 
il>  siiil.n'c  l)roki;i  witji  L^iiat  doim-s  and  lininniocks,  all 
sliiiiiuL;  ill  till-  luiidit  siinliijil  liki-  uliilr  iiiarlili  .  (  )ii 
llu-  ri^lit  was  tin- <  "ii\Tiiiaiid  coast,  with  il^  ]niriil(d  nd 
c'lifls  adoi-i'.cil  with  ^rrtii  :-;iass  and  moss  ;  on  the  Ufl  the 
Aniiiicaii  slioir  in  its  white  nianllr  of  pcrpitual  snow. 
(  )n  this  last-naninl  coast,  jnsl  sonth  of  U'-,  \\a^  the  sccm- 
of  the  rioliiis  disistci,  and  jiist  al)o\e,  ,;lniosi  alua.n, 
wa-'  Capt-  Sahinc,  where  ("iiciK  and  his  ]i,n1\  ■^ntlered 
sncli  honiii>.  r.e\<ind  this  coaM  h-  -een  on  the  -..nic 
shore-.  Cape  I  lawks,  \\'ashin;^loa  l;\iii^  Island,  Cane 
Konis  Napoleon,  and  nearKas  lai  north  as  the  iiL;htielli 
paralKl.  On  the  (  Mciidand  coa-l ,  wiihin  half  \\\  hoar's 
journtA,  was  Kenssi  laer  i'.av,  when  I  )r.  Kan--  .uiij  his 
part\  spent  the  wintcr^of  iS^^  and  i'^',S|.  'ind  snileriil, 
and  ahandoned  their  ship,  the  -ianneji  .\<i\iiihi\ 

While  all  wia'c  .L^a/in^;  n]ton  the  silciit,  wild  desolati.  ai, 
the  scenes  anioii;^  which  many  dariii'^  t\pIorer~>  ui.di  r- 
went  haid^hip-,  and  --oine  met  de.ilh,  the  ,L;real  stiMness 
was  snddeid\  intcnnpti'd  1>\  the  harkin;^  o!"  a  do',^  from 
the  (  iici'idand  sliore.  All  started,  lliinkiiyi;  it  niiy^ht  In- 
one  of  the.ininrds  lieliMiL^inL;  to  Lient.  I'ear.  \\\\v  Kih  wa-- 
I'ast  loosi-  iVoni  the  ice  and  lu  r  prow  turiied  I'oast- 
ward. 


X 


^'■ 


■^ 


%-■ 


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.  ik 


ti^'A 


M 


'.f- 


mm 


\h 


TIN-:  rEARY  RIH.IEF  EXPEDITION. 


34' 


Shf  had  not  gone  far  wlu'n  ihc  strange  barkings  were 
heard  on  iver)  side,  and  tlic  ni\stcr\  was  solved  ;  \vc 
were  in  thi'  midst  of  a  \ast  herd  of  walr.is. 

The  Inige  animals  were  either  1\  ing  on  the  tloes  fast 
asleej)  or  swimming,  diving  and  barking.  The  longboat 
was  ])rom])tly  lowered,  filled  with  enthnsiastie  hnnters, 
who  pnshed  oil"  in  elrase.  Coming  upon  agronpof  walnis 
do/ing  n])on  a  eake  of  iee  abont  half  a  mile  from  the 
ship,  the\'  fned  into  them  and  killed  two.  The  others 
dived  off  the  iee  and  disappeared  as  thongh  in  flight, 
lint  if  any  of  the  hnnters  in  that  long  boat  entertained 
sneh  an  idea  it  was  soon  dissipated.  ( )ne  of  them,  a 
great  bull  walrns,  presently  eaine  to  the  snrfaee  about  a 
hundred  yards  or  s(^  from  the  boat  and  swam  ra])idly 
awav,  roaring  londl\'  and  horribly  as  lie  did  so.  It 
seemed  almost  as  thongh  lit;  was  ealling  for  assistanee  to 
wreak  \iugeanee  on  the  slaxers  of  two  of  liis  eomrades. 
lie  it  as  it  may,  the  water  was  soon  fairh' alive  with  an 
angry,  bellowing  herd,  so  ninnerous  that  Mr.  Dnmphy, 
the  second  mate,  from  his  position  on  the  deck  of  the 
A'/A  ,  exclaimed  excitedly  to  the  captain,  "  Ily  (ieorge, 
sir,  I  bc-lie\e  all  the  walrus  in  (ireeulaud  are  there,  sir  !  " 

With  thiir  (.yes  burning,  their  tusks  gleaming,  without 
a  pause  or  sign  of  fear,  the  savage  animals,  bent  <»ii 
revengi',  made  a  determined  attack  on  the  long  boat, 
rearing  from  the  water  as  the\  reaclu'd  it  in  an  attempt 
to  get  their  tu->ks  o\xr  tlu'  side. 

Had  llu\  succeedid  in  thi>  the  entire  partv  would  have 
been    dnouud,    but    each    member    fought    (k^perately. 


i     I 


•"^mmm 


I 


342 


/x  .ih'cr/i  SI'. IS. 


\%- 


% 


\ 


Rillis,  liatt'luls  and  liarpuDiis  \\v\\-  used  willi  cUadlv' 
ofR'i-l,  a:i(l  caili  (luslau^lil  \\a^  siu'iTSsfiillN  ixiKlkd,  hul 
it  was  iiol  iiulil  a  lai^x-  nmiil)i.r  liad  \)vv\\  slain  that  iIk' 
fiHiii\-  ac'kiKiw  U(l;4i(l  (k'Iral  aud  sulKiily  rcliu'd  tVuni 
tlu-  (.  I  lutr  >t.  Kaxiii;^-  \\\v  xictoiioiis  partv  to  low  llu-  two 
(K'ad  animals  \.\\v\  had  lirsl  >liol  in  triumph  to  tlu-  >hip, 
wlurr  it  \\a>  rslim  iltd  tlKil  tin.-  lua\icr  ol"  tlu-  two 
\vc'iu;lK(l  niort-  than   half  a  ton. 

This  i.'\ciliu^-  adwntuiv  only  wdKllc-d  iIil-  appc'titc-  of 
all  hands  tor  motr  ;  all  of  llu-  axailahU'  hoals  wiav 
fdk'd  wila  ankul  sportsnuai,  and  llif  whok-  da\'  km^;' 
thr  cha^e  was  krpt  up.  >kui\-  niorr  wiit.'  slau^htcrfd 
and  niarh  a  do/.m  ol'  iIk-  hn^r  animals  sc-curcd,  and 
it  is  <piilr  ])ossil)k'  that  llu-  A'/A' would  \  it  \k-  in  Smith 
vSonnd,  and  llu'  mi.  inln-is  of  ihc  IVarN'  Rclit-f  Ivxpnli- 
lion  hnulinL;  walrus,  had  not  Captain  I'ikc  towards  cxcii- 
in^  insisted  that  it  was  liuK'  lo  ht^in  ihc  ri'turu  xoya^r 
to  McCormick  liav  . 

At  I  lartsltaK-  Hay  a  >top  wa.s  made  and  a  numhrr  of 
IJR-  part\  wcul  ashort'  to  \isit  the  sctlkaiK'nt  ot"  llu'  l'".lah 
]>kimos.  Tlu-  spot  wa>  fouud  rvadily  (.nou^h.  the 
ahundaul  wrdnrr  on  tlif  shore,  which  characterizes  all 
]vd-;inio  selllenieuls,  alfordini;-  a  ^;;re  indication  of  its 
location.  'iMie  place  was  found  to  be  desi  rted,  as  was 
expected  tVoni  inforniatiou  i^ixeu  1)\'  !)r.  C'.'ok,  and  it 
e\identl\'  had  keen  abandoned  for  a  jon^-  time,  for  tiie 
ri\e  stone  igloos  w(.'re,  with  one  exception,  in  ruins,  and 
the  pilesof  bones  and  birdskiusand  other  refuse  in  iVont 
of  them  o\er<'rown  with  <'rass. 


'I III-:  rH.iKY  RHLiEi'  i.xi'i.niTioii.       ,^,^ 

Tlir  I'Uali  \  ilhi.m'  is  sii])])()-.(.'il  to  li;i\i'  hiiii  llu'  most 
iKHllurly  st'llIriiK'iil  III"  liiiiiiaii  l),iii;^s  mii  llic  hu-i' of  tlu- 
L;lo!)f.  It  \v.i>  iiiadr  rmious  l)\  Kuk'.  IIayt>ati(l  otlici 
Arclii-  iia\i,L;alors,  ami  llu-  iiaiiir  of  llus*.'  Ivskiiiio.s  is 
faiiiiliar  lo  llu'  ivadcr  of  vscxy  hook  of  polar  achiiiliiir. 
Tin.'  oiR'  ij^loo  not  (k'Sti()\ fd  was  lariat.',  liaiidsoiii'.',  sid)- 
slaulialh'    coiislnirtrd,    and   c-oiitaiiud    two    looiiis.       It 


lAlClIIM.    All-    WITH     Ml'. 

was  so  siijU'iior  to  all  llir  otlurs  in  i.\i.i\  rrspn-l  that 
wr  fanc-ird  it  nii^lit  lia\f  hem  tlu'  oiir  (n-rtipird  oii  dif- 
kvcat  occasions  h\  Hoctois  Kan.'  and  IIa\is.  Il>  mi- 
pcrioritx-  was  till  nion  inarktil  from  the  fact  that  the 
rnins  of  ilu'  itinainin;.;  lints  >liowcd  that  all  had  hctn  of 
more    than    nsnal   excellence    of    constrnction .       I",\(r\- 


.■^44 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


'iL 


'1,1 


I 


sloiu-  had  hfcii  carffnlh  laid  and  llu-  loof  s<»Iidl\  hiiilt. 
Of  tlu-  piopU-  who  once  lived  thtir,  so  far  as  known, 
hilt  oni-  faiuiK'  \il  exists,  and  that  oni-  forms  part  of 
the  sitlknunt  now  ,i;ronped  ahont  Ktd  Clitl  Ilonse. 
It  is  said  that  the  settlcMnent  was  abandoned  h\  its  ])eo- 
])le  hecanse  <»f  \\\\!^\  winds  and  continnons  cold.  \\\\\, 
on  this  heautifnl  snnny  ni<fht,  with  scarceh'  a  breath  to 
cool  the  healed  atmosphere,  and  with  the  j^^rass  so  thick 
and  hijfh  that  it  reached  to  the  knees,  such  a  reason 
seemed  lanj^hable. 

Anjonji^  the  rnins  and  minj^led  with  the  rubbish  and 
the  remains  of  many  former  Ivskimo  feasts  were  found 
a  larjj^e  number  of  implements  of  the  chase,  trinkets, 
fraj^ments  of  household  utensils,  and,  stranj^est  of  all, 
a  domino. 

.About  lwent\-  miles  below  the  ICtah  settlement  is  Sonn- 
taj^  Ha\-,  so  named  from  a  well  known  .\rctic  explorer 
who  was  with  IIa\es  On  its  shores  is  the  abandoned 
settKuuut  of  the  Soofalik  Ivskimos,  about  which  little 
has  bien  written,  but  which,  jnd»^inj^  from  the  ijj^loos 
remainiuj^f  and  the  unusually  jj^reat  number  of  j^Maves, 
must  have  been  a  very  larj^e  and  flourishing'^  community. 
The  AV/c  reached  there  on  the  morninj^  of  July  2S. 

rictures(|Ue  as  was  the  site  of  the  ICtah  settlement,  it 
is  e\en  snrpasse<l  in  this  respect  b\'  that  of  the  vSoofalik.s. 
The  j^aound  was  covered  with  luxuriant  <j^reen.  ( )ver 
the  sea  the  purple  hills  towered  more  than  2000  feet  in 
bold  cliffs  and  ja<^fmed  ])eaks.  Throu.nh  one  of  the 
hills  behind  the  settlement   a   larsjt'   stream    has    cut    a 


THE  nUARY  REI.il:!'  EXrhinri'ION 


.VI 5 


path  Iialf-was  lo  llii'  hotldiii  and  tiiiiihlts  llu-  list  of 
till'  (list. mot.'  to  till'  (K'l'aii  in  a  sirii's  of  hroilinj^  ia])i(ls  and 
cataracts,  wlmsi'  mar  (.-oiild  hr  heard  a  loni;  di>tanir 
a\va\. 

Several  hours  were  spent  roamin<;  ainoiii;^  the  rninsof 
this  old  Soofalik  settlement,  hill  nothini,^  of  iinportaiiee 
was  discovered.  The  ])art\  then  prepared  to  >piiid  the 
ni^ht  on  a  handsoiiu'  j^lacier, which  empties  into  llu-  water 
at  the  head  of  Sonntajj;  Hay.  Sailors'  haj^s  were  packed 
with  hlankets  and  other  articles,  a  tol)o,;.^,<4an  loaded  with 
them,  and  a  start  made.  This  j^lacier seemed  to  ha\e  spe- 
cial advantay;cs  for  the  proposed  jonnie\  1)\  it^\er^  j^eiitle 
slope,  probably  not  e.\cecdin>.;  more  than  from  three  to 
five  deforces,  and  by  its  nmisiial  compactness,  its  crev- 
asses appcnrin<^  merely  ;is  closed  up  slits.  The  baj^s 
and  other  traps  were  transported  without  difficnltx 
<»\er  one  of  the  lateral  moraines  and  placed  on  the  lo- 
bo<;}^an  immediately  above  the  edjjje  of  the  ice  wall, 
which  rises  to  the  heij^ht  of  from  ei]L,dit\'  to  too  feet 
above  the  sea  level.  The  trij)  was  be<,nin  at  1 1.45  p.  m., 
and  was  pushed  to  the  summit  without  an\-  halts  e.\cept 
momentary  ones,  and  the  top  reached  in  exactly  five 
hours. 

I'or  the  first  two  or  three  miles  the  surface  of  the 
glacier  was  (luite  even,  and  composed  sometimes  of  ice 
and  .sometimes  of  crisp  fro/en  snow,  which  the  earl\- 
morniiifj^  sun  had  not  yet  converted  into  slush.  At 
a  hciijht  of  i^od  feet  hiinimock\-  undulations  broke 
the    surface    into    areas    difficult     to     traverse.       These 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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346 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


fin- 


succeeded  one  another  to  tlie  suinniit  and  the  toboggan 
was  pushed  forward  only  with  great  exertion,  owing  to 
the  steep  slope  oi'  the  huniniocks  and  tlie  slipper}-  ice  of 
the  frozen  surface.  A  short  distance  from  the  apex  of 
the  glacier  deep  cre\-asses  began  to  appear,  but  in  most 
cases  they  were  easily  crossed  by  using  the  toboggan  as 
a  bridge.  The  source  of  the  glacier  was  reached  at  an 
elevation  of  2055  feet,  where  it  terminated  in  a  most 
beautiful  cirque  or  neve  basin,  from  whence  the  huge  ice 
mass  discharges.  At  this  itoint  began  the  interminable 
ice-cap  lolliu'.;  liigher  and  higher  away  into  the  interior. 

The  descent,  while  in  a  measure  easier  through  the 
relief  of  tl;.  strain,  was  yet  arduous  in  many  ways.  This 
was  made  particularly  so  through  the  tendency  of  the 
toboggan  to  rush,  and  the  necessit\'  consequently  of  hold- 
ing it  in  tow  from  the  rear  by  means  of  guide  lines.  It 
required  four  hours  to  reach  the  boat,  and  the  part\-, 
thou--h  most  of  them  were  utterly  worn  out,  were  \et 
proud  of  the  feat,  for  they  had  demonstrated  b\-  this 
ascent  the  important  fact  that  the  inland  ice  of  the  north 
can  be  reached  by  the  backs  of  the  glaciers  by  man  car- 
rying the  impedimenta  of  travel  ;  the  toboggan  and  load 
used  in  the  experiment  weighing,  approximately,  200 
pounds. 

vSoou  after  the  return  of  the  part}',  the  k'/'/c  resumed 
lier  voNage  southward  and  early  the  same  afternoon 
arrixed  at  Robertson  Hay,  a  remarkabh'  handsome  bod>- 
of  water  immediately  adjoining  McCormick  IJay,  and 
running    parallel    with    it.       Here    also    were    several 


\ 


MM 


! 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  LXPEDITION.         347 

settlements,  calK-d  respectively  Igloo  Duhoiney.  Kukaii, 
Deasunna  and  Ikenoniey.  To  the  first  named  place  the 
professor,  IMr.  Meehan  and  Mr.  Mnrphy,  the  first  mate, 
made  a  visit.  They  fonnd  six  luits,  all  but  two  of  which, 
however,  Vv'cre  in  rnins.  On  entering  one  of  these  the 
three  were  amazed  to  find  traces  of  recent  occupation. 
Furs  were  piled  high  upon  the  stone  jilatform  ni  tlie 
rear.  The  rack  for  wet  "  cammiks  "  and  other  articles 
hung  from  the  roof;  a  drinking  cup  and  blubber  pan 
and  .some  other  utensils  were  in  their  proper  places. 
Outside,  in  the  innnediate  vicinity,  evidences  of  recent 
occupation  were  even  more  apparent  in  numerous  caches 
of  .seal,  and  in  several  drying  lionses  of  stone  filled  with 
the  bodies  of  little  auks. 

While  the\-  were  standing  about  wondering,  for  the 
place  was  su]:»i)osed  to  l)e  deserted,  lo  and  l)ehold  !  a 
"  mickey,"  or  Kskimodog,  showed  himself  with  vocifer- 
ous barking  over  a  little  hill  not  faraway  hnniediately 
behind  him  trudged  an  ancient  huskie,  attired  in  the 
picturescpie  but  filthy  garments  of  his  race,  with  his 
"cunna"  (woman  or  scpiaw)  and  three  pickaninnies 
bringing  up  the  rear.  With  unembarrassed  mien  and 
smiling  countenance  this  now  most  northern  .settler  on  the 
face  of  the  globe  approached  the  three  white  men,  uttering 
the  familiar  '' Ki-nio  "  in  a  sing-song  and  stuttering 
voice.  Indeed,  tlie  man  stuttered  at  sueli  a  rate  that 
Daniel,  who  met  him  subsecpientlv,  remarked:  -'Me 
no  savvey,  huskie;  speakem  too  iuul-Ii  lc!i,  tcii,  tch  ; 
his  cuuna  pleut\-  speakem  good,  me  sa\\e\-. " 


^•••■lili 


348 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


tr 


The  professor  took  the  family  011  board  the  vessel  and 
gave  them  wood,  iron  and  other  usefnl  articles.  Words 
cannot  express  the  delight  with  which  these  ])oor, 
isolated  bcinj^s  received  the  <>;ifts.  They  howled,  they 
danced  and  they  san.i^,  and  qnotinjif  Daniel  a^ain,  "  They 
mncli  cry,"  and  their  noses  bled  profusely  from  the 
excitement.  Meanwhile  Mr.  Meehan  had  been  left  on 
shore  to  make  further  exploration  of  the  place.  From 
many  signs  it  is  evident  that  Igloo  Duhomey  is  one  of 
the  most  ancient  of  the  settlements  the  party  had  visited. 
One  of  the  most  marked  proofs  of  this  was  the  great 
number  of  graves  on  the  brow  of  a  little  hill  a  short  dis- 
tance away.  !Most  of  these  graves  had  fallen  in  and  the 
bones  of  the  dead  had  been  resolved  into  dust.  In 
noting  these  graves  the  difference  between  the  method 
of  disposing  of  the  dead  in  North  Greenland  and  that 
pursued  by  the  Eskimos  of  the  South  was  made  strikingly 
apparent.  In  North  Greenland  when  a  native  dies  two 
walls  of  stone  are  built,  running  parallel  and  about  two 
feet  and  a  half  apart  and  two  feet  high,  and  between 
them  a  thick  layer  of  sand  is  placed,  on  which  the  body, 
wrapped  in  furs,  is  deposited.  Over  this  vault,  if  it  may 
be  so  called,  is  laid  a  large  flat  stone  and  both  ends  are 
firmly  sealed  by  rolling  large  boulders  against  them  ; 
over  all,  stones  are  heaped  until  quite  a  large  mound  is 
made,  to  secure  the  body  against  the  predatory  visits  of 
any  animal  likely  to  come  near  the  .spot. 

When  at  length  the  Eskimos  had  received  their  gifts, 
been  fed  and  landed  and  all  hands  were  once  more  on 


I 


i 


THE  PEAR } '  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.         349 

board,  the  Kite  steamed  away  and  two  hours  later  was 
anchored  in  front  of  Red  CHfF  House,  where  it  was 
learned  that  in  consequence  of  the  jioor  physical  health 
of  Matthew  Henson,  the  colored  servant,  Mrs.  Pearv  had 
thought  best  to  break  camp  at  the  head  of  McCormick 
Bay  and  return  to  the  winter  quarters. 


,   , 


UiMiMia 


I     II 


%l 


CHAPTRR    X. 

Campinc,  ox   Rohkrtson   IVw.— Till',    .\\(,i;k()k.— Tuk    l-'fciTivR 

WlFlC    AND    DAIT.HTI.U. — A    I'oSSII,    ( ".  I.ACII'.K. 

THE  recollection  of  the  walrus  liuutiiij^-  iu  vSmitli 
vSoinid  was  so  pleasant,  that  the  (la\-  after  the  re- 
turn of  the  A'//('  to  McCorniick  I5ay  leave  was  obtained 
by  the  f;reater  number  of  the  i)arty  to  j^o  on  a  three  days' 
hunt  for  reindeer  and  Arctic  hares.  As  the  distance  was 
nearly  fifteen  miles  the  A'/'/r  took  the  party  to  the  site 
of  the  proposed  camp  and  left  them,  they  proposinj^-  to 
row  back  to  McCormick  IJay  at  the  expiration  of  their 
leave.  The  party  comprised  Messrs.  I>r\ant,  Entrikin, 
Mills,  ]\Ieehan  and  Daniel,  the  interjireter,  and  these 
pitched  their  tent  on  a  <^rassy  field  near  the  beach,  be- 
.side  a  clear  cold  stream  of  water.  IJehind  them  was  a 
lari^e  valley,  once  occupied  by  a  hu.^e  glacier,  but  which 
thron<;h  climatic  chan<i^es  had  been  driven  back  little  by 
little,  until  nownothinj^  remained  of  it  but  a  small  body 
of  ice  extendiu<^  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  inland  ice-cap.  The  various  periods  of  the  retreat 
of  the  glacier  were  plainly  marked  b\-  huj^e  terminal 
moraines  extending  clear  across  the  valle\-. 

To  the  east  of  the  camp  beyond  the  stream  rose  a 
loftv  mountain  peak,  the  greater  part  of  which  was 
covered  by  a  thick  growth  of  vivid  green  moss,  with 


THE  PEARY  RELIEE  EXPEniTION. 


,^51 


intervals  of  lar>^c  beds  of  loose  stones.  These  beds  of 
stones  are  a  favorite  resort  for  the  little  auk,  a  tooth- 
some bird  about  the  size  of  a  robin,  which  con- 
grcj^ate  on  all  the  ba\s,  fiords  and  mountain  sides  of 
(rreenlaud  by  the  htnulreds  of  -inlHon.  Two  of  the 
party  therefore  took  their  ,i;uns  and  essa\ed  to  clamber 
up  the  steep  slope  of  the  mountain  over  the  j^reen  moss 
to  shoot  a  number    for  supper. 

They  had  climi>ed  perhaps  five  orsi.v  hundred  feet  up, 
when  the  moss  suddenly  o;ave  way  beneath  their  feet,  and 
they  slid  downward  for  some  distance  with  dizzying 
ra])idity.  When  at  length  they  could  stop  themselves 
they  found  that  beneath  the  luxuriant  green  was  a  solid 
mass  of  hard  colorless  ice,  and  further  search  revealed 
the  fact  that  there  was  ice  everywhere  beneath  this 
cryj^togamous  growth — in  short,  they  had  come  upon 
a  natural  icehouse,  known  among  geologists  as  a  fossil 
glacier.  This  apparently  cnricjus  freak  of  nature  is  the 
result  of  tlie  most  natural  and  simple  causes  imaginable. 
Thousands  01  >ears  ago,  perhaps,  when  the  climate  of 
Greenland  was  much  colder,  this  mountain  was  covered 
by  a  vast  ice  sheet  of  great  depth.  lyittle  1)\-  little  the 
climate  changed  and  became  warmer,  and  mosses,  which 
before  could  oul\-  grow  on  its  edges  in  the  more  i)r(j- 
tected  nooks,  pushed  gradually  forward  o\-er  the  chilly 
ice  until  the>'  completely  coxx'red  the  mass. 

These  Greenland  mosses  are  (juite  different  from  the 
poor  things  we  in  our  climate  knowl)\-  that  name.  The 
growth  covering  this  ice-mountain  was  in  places   three 


•it 


"  ^•'•^'^.•3'rti^U^'rmmt^k-xmtui^ 


■**«****•>*»*•*«** 


352 


nv  .lA'cr/c  s/-:.LS. 


llM, 


\ 


or  tour  led  in  thickness,  and,  hut  for  an  accident,  the 
partv  nii<j;-ht  lia\e  rolled  in  it,  trnd^ed  over  it  and  camped 
on  it  for  weeks  withont  dreaniini:,^  what  was  nnderneath. 

In  the  three  days'  hnnlin_i,^  trip  on  the  shores  of  Robert- 
son i!a\-  the  party  fonnd  a  hnskie  there  named  Kionptdo, 
an  "an*;ekok''  or  medicine  man  from  Red  CHIT  Ilonse. 
li\in,n  in  the  hnt  with  Kinna,  the  settler  of  I^loo  Dnho- 
ine\-.  Mis  purpose  at  Robertson  Day  was  to  find  liis  wife 
aii:l  stepdan<4hter,  who  had  rnn  awa\'  from  him  more 
than  a  week  l)efore,  and  here  he  wascalmh-  waitin_t>-  nntil 
they  shonld  turn  np,  as  he  expected  they  wonld,  at  Ii>loo 
Dnhoiuey.  The  Eskimo  "  an<i^ek()k  "  is  a  peculiar  per- 
sonajj^e.  Any  man  or  woman  who  can  sin<2;-  may  la\' 
claim  to  the  title,  and  if  he  or  she  has  a  sufficient 
store  of  animal  majj^netism,  can  wield  a  powerful 
influence  over  the  tribe  with  which  he  or  she  resides. 

Kioojiedo  was  a  character.  Lar<;er  than  most  of  the 
other  huskies  about  him,  he  was  at  the  same  time  of 
pleasin<>;  aj)pearauce  and  kept  himself  a  trifle  cleaner. 
His  disposition,  however,  while  his  face  wore  a  continu- 
ous smile,  was  said  to  be  anythinj;  but  pleasant,  and  he 
was  feared  and  hated.  Notwithstanding,  what  he  said  or 
coinmandcd  had  great  weight.  The  wife  who  had  run 
awa\'  from  him  was  his  third  spouse  and  it  was  whispered 
that  he  had  killed  the  two  previous  ones  in  fits  of  anger, 
and  the  one  who  ran  away,  before  she  did  so,  confided  to 
one  of  her  sex  that  she  feared  a  similar  fate  it  she 
remained.  While  we  were  in  camp  at  Igloo  Duhoniey 
she  and  her  daughter  did  not  put  in  an  appearance,  but 


I  i 


(!?: 


rilE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


>5,i 


llu'\-  <li(l  as  wc  licard  sul)sc'(iuc'iUl\-,  nioiv  than  a  wti'k 
later,  to  fmd  their  lmsl)aii(l  and  st(.'])ratlii'r(iuic'tl\  sitting 
Ijfforc  Kiuna's  i^loo.  The  joiiriK  y  of  tlic  woman  and  her 
daii^-htcr  from  tlie  Red  Cliff  House  to  nuhomeN-  had 
been  one  of  almost  unparalleled  privation.  When  the\- 
departed  lhe\-  took  with  them  no  food.  \\\  sharp  walk- 
in^-  thev  reached  the  head  of  MeCormiek  Hay  in  a  few- 
hours  :  here  thev  made  the  aseent  of  the  plateau  al)o\i' 
the  l)a\-,  where  the\-  (gathered  and  ate  a  few  huckleberries. 
This  was  all  the  food  they  had  for  more  than  tenda>sand 
the  ;^reater  portion  of  that  period  was  spent  in  wander- 
in;.;  over  the  edii^e  of  the  ice-cap,  and  in  crossinj;  three 
wide  and  dan.^erous  jj^laciers.  When  they  arrived  at  the 
settlement  on  Robertson  P>ay  the\-  were  nearl\-  dead, 
and  their  appearance,  it  is  said,  was  .so  i)itiful  that  even 
the  cruel  heart  of  Kioopedo  was  moved  and  he  promised 
to  treat  his  wife  more  kindly  in  the  future. 

In  the  many  expeditions  of  the  party  the  l^skimos 
were  found  most  useful  ;  <(ood-natured,  willin_i(  to  work 
and  ever  ready  to  accompany  them  and  <.,nve  all  the 
assistance  in  their  power.  In  the  hunt  they  were  found 
to  be  invaluable,  their  e.\:traordinar\'  keenness  of  vision 
enablinji^  them  to  see  deer  and  other  animals  lonj^  before 
the  untrained  eyes  of  the  white  people  could  do  so. 
Kiuna,  who  assisted  in  our  lunit  at  Ijl^Ioo  Duhomey, 
was  considered  only  an  indiflerent  artificer  and,  until 
recently,  a  poor  hunter,  but  since  then  he  has  come  to 
be  looked  upon  with  nnich  respect.  His  new  reputation 
for  prowess  dates  from  last  winter,  when,  just  before  a 


354 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


if 


\K 


terrific  blix./.ard,  he  took  Iiis  faiiiiK-  from  one  l)a\-  to  the 
other  oil  a  limit,  and  nothing  was  heard  of  him  until 
spiiiij;-,  wlien  he  turned  up,  witli  a  record  of  lia\iu,c; 
killed  six  walrus  single-handed. 

His  safe  return  was  the  more  wonderful  to  the  super- 
stitious  natives,  since  diiriuj;-  the  hliz/.ard  sluM"tl\'  after 


-'^'i'^i^C^&^-^ms, 


»<p« 


10^ 


STAI.KINC.    I'OK    WAI.KIS. 

his  dcixarturc,  they  had  heard  the  "  Korkoya "  howl. 
The  "  Korkoya  "  is  a  powerful  and  malevolent  spirit 
who  is  believed  b\'  the  huskies  to  inhabit  the  extreme 
northern  waters  and  the  inland  ice.  It  is  his  peculiarit\- 
to  howl  after  a  meal.  lie  is  particularly  fond  of  a  morsel 
of  human  flesh,  next  to  which  he  loves  a  ship  or  a  kajak 
as  an  article  of  diet,  and    his  howliuL^  on   the  occasion 


THE  rEARY  RILIEI'  EXEE.ni  I  ION. 


355 


refcnvd  lo,  a])i)(.-;uv(l  an  iiifailibk-  iiidicatiou  I'aal  Kiuiia 
liail  iiK'l  with  a  linrri'hlc  dralh  and  had  hiTii  (U'xoinvd 
1)\-  the  iR'nd  of  the  ic'.'  ca]).  llis  iiu-rrdihlf  c-.c-a]>r  iVoin  the 
conibiiivd  U'lTors  (if  the  l)Ii/./.ard,  the- icr-L-ap  and  its  iiioii- 
stroas  s])irit,  the  proof  of  his  prowess  in  the  shiiii 
walrnsL'S,  and  liis  sin.i^^in^  ([ualities,  raised  him  at  once 
t(>  lii*;h  di<^nity  and  ;;avc  him  the  name  of  beinj;'  an 
anjj^ekok. 

The  (la\-  sneceedin.i;-  tlie  retnrn  of  the  huntinj^^  party, 
wliich  was  on  the  ni,i;ht  of  An,i;nst  2,  the  Kite,  with 
Mrs.  Pearv  on  1)()ar(l,  was  taken  to  the  liead  of  MeCor- 
mick  Bay  to  await  the  retnrn  of  Lient.  Peary,  which 
was  now  expected  at  any  moment. 


'il>> 


iji 


CIIArTI'.R    XI. 
Tin;  Ki,i.ii;i'   l'.\i'i;i>ii'r(i\    M\ki;s  a    K  i  ruNNdissAMi:  oi    riii.    In- 

I.A.Nh    kl';   AM)  .AIlJTS   I.IUT.    I'l.AKN    AMi    Ml<.    A.sTUI   I'. 

Ox  llic  aflcniooii  (if  .\u,i;ust  5,  I'rolVssor  Ikilpriu 
<lir(.(.'li.(l  (.NLiy  iiKiiil)(.'r  dI"  Iiis  parly  Iti  prcpwn.'  lor  .1 
rt'coniioissaiKc  of  till' inland  ice.  .\  iiuinl)(.'r  ol"  polus  \\■^.■r(-• 
l)r(.•l)ar(.■(l  for  llic  purpose  of  planliii.L;-  lliiiii  for  tl'emiid- 
aiiec  of  Lieiil.  IVary  and  Mr.  .Xslruj)  to  MrCorniick  lla\ . 
'iMie  sctlin,!.;'  of  tlic'Se  poks  was  considtred  ad\isal)lc  1)l- 
causL',  slioiihl  tlie  two  tra\'ekis  in  their  rrlnrninj4  iiiareh 
(k'\ dale  in  the  slightest  (k'l^ree  to  llie  sotilhward  or  the 
northward,  tkey  wouhl  certainly  land  al  the  head  of 
Roberlsou  ])ay  or  In!.;leiRdd  (iulf.  The  eoniiii,;;  ont 
from  the  inland  ice  at  either  of  lliese  points  would  he  nn- 
fortunate,  as  from  them  to  the  Red  Cliff  House  the  way 
is  not  only  nian\'  miles,  hut  also  rxcessixely  difficult. 

The  work  of  ^ettini;-  reach'  for  the  reconnoissance  was 
soon  done,  and  the  parly  started.  Landiui;  on  the 
south  side  of  the  bay,  near  its  her.d,  they  clambered  uj) 
the  steep  rocky  beach  to  the  entrance  of  a  lar^e  \alley 
which  extends  nearly  to  In.^lefield  ( iidf.  I  lere  the\-  came 
upon  the  remains  of  Camp  Tuctu,  where  the  companions 
of  Lieut.  Tear)-  had  made  their  heackiuarters  earh'  in 
the  season  when  preparing  to  take  the  supplies  to  the 
summit  of  tlie  ice-caj)  for  the  ^reat  inland  jourue)-. 


■  I  i 


rill:  I'h'.ARY  ia:i.ii:h  /■.\i'i:n/noN. 


,VS7 


Oil  llu- i-asl  si(K-  of  llir  \';ilU'\-  the  |);irt\  fMiuKl  ;i  .^oli;c" 
vxU'udiiii;  tVoiii  its  holtmii  to  .i  (Uip  (Kprc^iuu  alioiU  iwo- 
lliirds  till' \va\  up  llic  iiiDiiiitaiii  wliicli  fdriiud  ils  ndiih 
si<K'.  \'\)  this  i^oi^L',  wliic'Ii  was  also  '';i'  palli  lakm  l)y 
IJc'il.  IV'ar\'  and  Mr.  Aslnii)  wlun  lliry  mI  (nit  <»n 
lluir  daring  (.'xploralioii,  llir  iilir!  (.Nprdiliim  i  liinl>i.'d 
and  sluuibk'd.  'lMin)iiL;li  il  laii  a  >liHaiii  nf  rlcMV  rold 
waliT  wliiidi  l)(iiiii(U(l  fiDiii  niek  In  ruck  dh  its  way  to 
tlir  sua.  Rc'acliiiii;  llir  depri'ssioii  in  llir  nitnuilain  tliry 
found  it  to  he  a  dcrp  and  picturcsiiuc  dKy  wliic  li  liad 
hiTU  duL;  out  of  llir  ^rcat  tahk-land  i);  tlir  work  of  a 
lon^     extinct     and    nii,L;lit\-  ,L;kicii  Iv  '(kiux-    oi     ilS' 

treUK-ndoiis  work  appeared  on  evcr\'  hand  —  lrai.;e 
houldrrs  with  roun(kd  (.•dj^vs,  and  kirve,  ;  at  rocks  (kcply 
scarrc  '.  and  riwu.  To  llic  \cry  cd.L;c  of  this  \alk\  tlic 
ice-cap  canic,  conipk'tcl\'  huryin^  the  land  cxcciil  four 
"  lunialaks "  which  rose  .^rini  and  >tnrd\  ahow  its 
reach.  To  the  side  of  one  of  thc'se  "  nunatak>  "  tlie 
part\'  ascenck'd,  and   presentU  found   lhenisel\i>  on    tlie 


niland   ice. 


The   rolliuij  white  hiiidsca])e,  exteiidiu''  ii 


e\'er\'  (Hrectioii  in  (h'eadfnl  niouoloiiy,  fiilh'  justifies  the 
terror  it  ins])ires  in  the  minds  of  the  Iv->kiinos, 

I'or  a  mik'  or  two  the  journey  was  tliroui;]!  ne\e  or 
_i;ranukir  ice,  into  whicli  at  c\er\-  step  the  feil  sank 
ank!c-decp.  When  at  leuglli  the  ice-cap  j)roper  was 
reached  traveling;  was,  if  anythin.i^',  worse,  for  ihnni.^h 
the  action  of  the  warm  sun  ils  co\erin^  of  snow  was 
scarcelv  firm  enough  to  l)ear  tlie  wei,L;lit  of  a  man.  As 
b\'  some    owrsisjhl    snow-shoes    had    1)een    left    !)e]iiild, 


M    1  < 


•  ^  ■:■'  •''''•iA-r'"!'i'''mK^mmmtltllflglt 


II-' 


\ 


m 


358 


/JV  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


proj^ress  was  very  slow  and  lal)()rioiis  ;  but,  altliont^li 
with  every  step  tlie  iiieinl;ers  of  the  expedition  sank 
knee,  and  often  waist,  deep,  by  nine  o'clock  that  niiL^dit 
they  had  jK'netratcd  inland  several  miles  and  to  an 
elevation  of  331^0  feet  above  the  sea.      At  the  i)oint  ncAV 


\  1 ' 


lii 


PI.AXTINr,    A    CT'inn   POST    ox    THIC    ICK-CAP. 

reached  the  first  of  the  poles  was  planted,  and  to  it  was 
nailed  a  board  bearing  an  index  and  the  inscription  : 


«/)•  'TO  Mccormick  riAV. 

KITI-;   IN   I'OKT.   AlCrST  ,s" 


The  work  of  setting  this  pole  completed,  it  was 
determined  to  place  another  on  an  eminence  abont  two 
miles  bevond. 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


359 


The  toilsome  inarcli  towards  this  point  was  scarcely 
beo^un  when  far  away  in  the  distance  a  small  dark  sjieck 
appeared  almost  in  line  of  vision  with  the  very  site  for 
which  the  relief  party  was  makins;-.  What  conld  it  be? 
Could  it  be  a  bear?  Xo,  this  continental  \vaste  of  ice  is 
shunned  V)y  all  forms  of  livinjj^  matter  and  neither  native 
man  or  brute  will  venture  upon  it — and  yet  the  thing 
had  life — it  moved — "(xreat  Heaven!  it  is  waviuj^ 
somethin.u;-  in  the  air  !  " 

It  was  a  man,  no  d(jubt  of  that  now — and  if  so,  it 
must  be  a  white  man.  Xo  Eskimo  was  ever  known 
who  would  not  refuse  absolutely  to  penetrate  any  distance 
into  the  ice-cap.  Who  then  could  it  be  other  than  the 
man  we  were  seekinJ^  ?  Three  objects  were  now  plaiidy 
seen.  It  nuist  be — it  could  be  no  other  than  Lieut. 
Peary,  ]\Ir.  Astrup  and  their  sledj^e  with  its  team  of  doj;;s. 

When  the  almost  incredible  truth  flashed  on  their 
minds,  the  whole  party  broke  out  into  wild  cheers,  and 
when,  a  moment  later,  the  report  of  a  rifle  shot  came 
to  them  faintly  across  the  ice,  they  could  scarcely  con- 
tain themselves  for  joy.  Then  one  of  the  objects 
detached  itself  from  the  others  and  started  ahead, 
disappearin<i^  behind  a  low  ridj^e  which  intervened,  to 
reappear  shortly  on  the  suuunit  revealed  as  Lieut.  Pear\-. 
The  tall  form  of  the  returniu,i^  explorer,  clad  in  heavy 
fur  garments,  bareheaded,  walking  with  a  free  stride 
on  his  snow  shoes,  carr\iug  a  wind  gauge  in  one  h;ind 
and  a  carbine  in  the  other,  ])aused  for  a  moment  on 
the  crest   of   the   hillock,  and  stood    there  refracted  to 


'     '  ''''^''''^^""'OTMIiHIIIIHI 


'fmmmmmmmmsmm 


360 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


ii' 


( , 


\ 


a  <;i<;antic  stature  darkly  silhouetted  a_^-ainst  the  clear 
sky.  Lieut.  Teary  was  followed  closely  bv  Astrup 
dnviu<;-  five  yelpiui^  I^^skinio  dof^s  attached  to  a  heavil\' 
laden  sled<j;^e.  It  was  an  a\ve-ins])irin<^-  si,i;ht,  these  two 
men  coming  out  of  the  great  mysterious  North,  o\er 
that  frozen  terror,  whose  snows  had  never  been  trodden 
by  liiunan  foot,  alive  from  that  fearful  solitude  on  whose 
broad  expanse  life  had  never  before  drawn  breath. 

Such  was  the  feeling  inspired  that  the  cheering  died 
away,  and  the  silence  which  followed  was  oppressive, 
until  Lieut.  Peary,  coming  close,  himself  broke  the 
spell  by  exclaiming,  "Well,  well,  this  is  Professor  Heil- 
])rin.  I  am  glad  yours  is  the  first  hand  I  take.  ,So 
this  is  the  relief  part\'.  Well,  gentlemen,  nothing 
could  ha\-e  given  nie  greater  pleasure."  Then  after 
shaking  each  heartily  b\'  the  liand,  he  continued,  "I 
have  traveled  1300  miles  and  made  a  record,  and 
neither  of  us  has  had  an  ache  or  pain  since  we  left 
the  Red  CHIT  House."  The  appearance  of  the  men  fulh- 
bore  out  his  words,  thc\"  were  evidently  strong,  healtlu' 
and  not  the  least  trawl-worn. 

A  uu)ment  later,  Mr.  Astrup  had  come  along,  gliding 
easily  over  the  fro/en  snow  on  his  Norwegian  skis. 
Turning  to  ^Ir.  .\strup,  Lieut.  Peary  said  :  "  Yes,  we 
are  well  and  happy,  and  I  am  glad  to  sa\-  that  this 
brax'e  bt)y  has  behaved  nobly  and  1  could  aKva\s  rely 
upon  him."  All  shook  Mr.  Astrup  by  the  hand,  who 
respoiuled  with  a  nuulest  smile  to  the  praises  of  Lieut. 
Pear\-,    and    in  his    broken    haiglish    assured    each    of 


■4 
* 


o 


K 

k: 
o 

H 


M 

n 


4-. 


{mv 


%f'-    ., 


■^ 


m-^' 


I'  II ■"■vinipiHiipi 


mm 


m.  ' 


\\< 


TUB  PEARY  REIJEF  EXPIiniTION.         363 

tlie   parl\' as   iIilv  were   introduced    to   him:     "  It  t^ivcs 
iiic  nmcli  ];k'asnre." 

When  the  .^reetinj^s  were  over  one  of  the  parts- 
asked  Lieut.  Peary  whether  he  was  liun,i;r\-,  and  ])ro- 
duced  a  sandwich,  !)nt  that  .gentleman  smiled  and  said 
he  mi.ulit  perliaps  be  al)le  to  offer  the  interlocutor  and  all 
of  the  i)arty  a  larger  meal  than  they  could  i)rovide  in 
return,  and  pullinn-  a  piece  of  pennnican  from  his  sledge 
he  tendered  it  to  tlieni.  Although  Lieut.  Peary  declined 
the  sandwich,  Mr.  Astrnp  was  n.ore  acconnuodatiug,  and 
devoured  it  with  manifest  relish,  declaring  it  to  he  the 
best  thing  he  had  eaten  for  ninety  days,  far  sui)erior  to 
pemmican  or  pea  soup. 

The  two  parties  then  made  their  way  slowh-  towards 
McCorniick  P>ay,  Lieut.  Peary  keeping  up  an  almost 
contintious  fire  of  questions  as  to  what  had  occurred  in 
the  outside  world  during  his  absence.  I5y  four  o'clock 
the  edge  of  the  ice-cap.  was  reached,  and  an  hour  later  a 
portion  of  the  relief  part\-  were  rowing  Lieut.  Peary  and 
Mr.  Astrnp  shipward. 

Before  they  came  fairh  within  hailing  distance  of  the 
Kile  the  enthusiasm  of  those  escorting  the  returned  ex- 
plorers could  be  contained  no  longer.  \\'ild  shouts  and 
\ells  broke  from  their  throats.  They  cheered  Lieut. 
Pear\-,  Mr.  Astrnp,  Mrs.  Pear>-  and  the  Pear\-  l{\j)edi- 
tion,  and  ever\thing  they  could  think  of.  .\s  the  boat 
approached  nearer  to  the  KiU\  the  yells  and  shouts  and 
cheering  grew  wilder,  and  then  Lieut.  Peary  hinrself 
became  e.xcited  and  standing  in  the  stern  of  the  boat  he 


I  W 


.'!  ! 


wmi 


ii 


364 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


♦ 


cliHchai<fed  liis  carbine  repeatedly;  and  even  Mr.  Astnip, 
quiet  and  retirinj^-  as  he  usually  is,  was  carried  away  by 
the  _i;eneral  feelin<4-  of  exhilaration  and  joined  in  the 
hubbub. 

l>y  this  time  the  racket  in  the  boat  had  attracted  at- 
tention on  the  l\iU\  and  Captain  Pike,  with  the  officers 
and  crew,  rushed  to  the  ship's  side,  and  seein<:^  whom 
the  relief  party  were  brinji^ing',  be<^an  a  series  of  hurrahs 
which  lasted  until  the  boat  touched  the  ship's  side, 
when  Lieut.  Peary,  clindjinjj;-  ninibl)-  to  the  deck,  made 
a  bound  to  the  companion-way  and  disappeared  below 
to  assxire  his  an.xious  wife  of  his  safe  return. 


'i: 


CHAl'TlvR     XII. 

TlIlC    I'KAKV     I'AKTVS  W.NTKK     I.IKK. -I^AV,  N,;      ,x    SToKKS.-TmK 

Arctic   Xicht.-I'kki'aratioxs   i.'or   thi;    I.m.am.  J(,ikn,.;v._ 
'i'liic  Start. 

TMMIvDI.VTlvI.V  after  the  A7/..  left   McCnnick    Day 
^     oil  July  30,    iScji,    work  was   l)cnun   on   Red  ClifT 
House.     iMn-timately  a!]  of  tlie  joists  ami  niucii   of  the 
otlicr  lumber  had  been  cut  on  the  way  out,  so  that  in  a 
very  few  days  the  roof  was  on,  and   I.ieut.    IVary    could 
be  removed  under  a  cover  to  a  couch    ])repare(l    f..r   him 
on  a  pile  of  boxes  in  one  corner.      Xoue  to.)  soon,   how- 
ever, for  a  terrific  rain  .storm  shortly  set  in  which   ra-ed 
without  intermission   for  ten   days,  completely  lloodhi<,r 
the  surrouiidin<,r  o;round,  and  at  one  time  even"  threateir- 
ino-  the  hou.se  with  destruction.     .\t  lenoth  the  little  struc- 
ture liaviii<r  been  completed  and  the  storm  over,  Lieut. 
Peary  directed    .Ale.s.srs.  CAhson,    VerhocfT,    Astrup  and 
Dr.  Cook  to  take  the  FnM^  one  of  the  wliale  boats,  to 
Xortlnunberland  and  Hakluyt  Islands  on  a  huntiii.<,r  expe- 
dition for  game  to  be  cached  as  a  winter  supply"!     :\Ir. 
Cib.son  was  also  commissioned   to   visit  the   Xehelumie 
settlement,  and  to  induce  one  of  the  Kskimo  hunters  of 
that  tribe  to  come  with  him  to  McCormick  Bay,  it  being 
suppcsed  that  in  the  chase  for  walrus  and  .seal  the  aid  of  an 
experienced  native  hunter  would  prove  invaluable.    The 


nii 


im 


EMl 


I 


;/,r, 


IX  ARCTIC  si: AS. 


boat  party  returned,  luiviiij^  succeeded  in  carryin<^  out 
tlieir  instructions  to  the  letter.  They  l)rouo;ht  with  them 
Equa,  mentioned  in  a  previous  chai)tcr,  one  of  the 
brij^litest  of  the  so-called  "Arctic  Hij^hlanders,"  who 
brou<;ht  with  him  his  "  cunna  "  and  "an  imp  of  dark- 
ness," their  little  dauj^hter.  Va[\u\  took  up  his  abode 
near  Red  Cliff  House  and  proved  an  expert  in  the  hunt 
for  the  animals  native  to  those  shores,  besides  bein*;;  a 
cheerful,  companionable  fellow.  The  various  hunting 
l)arties  before  winter  set  in  bajj^t^ed  no  less  than  thirty- 
one  reindeer,  birds  unnumbered,  besides  which  a  j^oodly 
sujiply  of  walrus  and  seal  meat  was  laid  by. 

On  the  return  of  the  boat  party,  the  l)arrels  and  boxes 
contaiuin<;-  the  su])plies,  the  boxes  with  the  lids  broken 
off  and  their  open  end  turned  inward,  were  piled  around 
the  house,  at  a  distance  of  about  four  feet  from  its  outer 
walls,  leavinj^  a  passa.i^eway,  1)\'  means  whereof  access 
coidd  be  gained  to  the  provisions  as  they  were  required 
without  any  one  beinj;'  obliged  to  face  the  severe  winter 
weather.  This  arrangement  proved  most  convenient. 
Around  this  barrier  of  food  was  piled  an  outer  wall 
of  stone  and  ttirf  and  all  made  snug  for  the  fierce  blasts 
of  the  Arctic  night. 

Several  prelimiiiar\-  explorations  al.so  were  made  with 
a  view  to  finding  the  most  practicable  route  to  and  over 
the  ice-cap.  On  vSeptcmber  7,  Mr.  Astrup,  Mr.  Gibson 
and  Mr.  \'erhoefr  made  an  attack  on  the  inland  ice  in 
the  direction  toward  the  basin  of  the  Humboldt  Glacier. 
They  had   scarcely  begun   the  joiirne\-,  however,  when 


II  \  \ 


u  i\ , 


Tlin:  PEARY  RIILI El'  EXPEDITION. 


\x\\ 
sts 


Ivcr 


Ison 


in 


her. 
Ibeu 


fierce  storms  and  lieavy  snows  be<;an  to  ra.m',  wliich 
compelled  them  ttj  retin-n  to  the  Red  ClifT  Honsf,  com- 
pletely baffled.  They  j^ot  back  on  vSeptemi)er  i  2,  and 
on  the  twenty-second  Mr.  Astrup  and  Mr.  (libson  nuule 
another  attempt.  This  time,  althoiij^h  the)-  eneonntered 
no  very  bad  weather,  the  condition  of  the  snow  on  the 
inland  ice  was  fonnd  snch  that  an\-  .i^reat  pro.^ress 
was  impossible.  They  retnrned  to  h..adi|narters  sl-ncii 
days  after  starting.  In  this  jonrne\'  the  two  managed, 
notwithstanding  the  difficnlt\-  of  the  traxeling,  to  pene- 
trate the  interior  a  distance  of  more  than  thirt\-  miles. 

Meanwdiile,  Lient.  Peary's  broken  leg  had  improved 
so  rapidly  that  on  September  27  he  was  al)le  to  throw 
away  his  crntches.  On  the  retnrn  of  the  part>-  consist- 
ing of  Astrnp  and  (iibson  from  the  last  mentioned 
jonrne\-,  an  exploration  of  Inglefield  (inlf  was  begun,  but 
before  this  had  advanced  very  far  the  party  were  driven 
back  by  the  young  ice  which  began  rapidly  to  form  on 
the  water.  By  the  first  of  October  the  bays  and  inlets 
were  all  frozen  solid,  putting  a  stop  to  all  further  boat 
life. 

The  days  had  been  growing  shorter  and  shorter  till  at 
length  the  sun  just  showed  above  the  horizon  for  a  few 
brief  moments  daily,  and  at  last,  by  November  S,  the 
long  Arctic  night  had  set  in.  From  that  tinieunlil  I'Vb- 
ruary  15  it  lasted  before  day  again  dawned,  and  during 
these  three  months  it  was  as  dark  as  midnij-ht.  The 
time  passed  rapidly,  nevertheless.  There  were  many 
things    to    be  done.      Fur   skins    were    made    up    into 

24 


36.S 


/x  .lA'iV/i'  s/:.is. 


»^ 


: 


j^'aniU'Mls.  and    wood    la>liioiK'd    into    ^k-d'^rs    for    Lii'ut. 
]\'ar\"s  ioiinuA-  in  llir  snrin''. 


1  111'  ronipanion^liip  ot  tlir  nature  aakd  niaUTiallx  in 
r(.lii\in,L;  ihv  It'dinni  ol  llu-  uinUr.  Many  from  llir  W- 
lulnniir  >rtlk-nKiil  vdww  U>  Ri-d  ClilT  I  lousr  ;  in  lat'l,  llu-ir 
\-isils  wrrf  almost  conslanl.      'l'lu\  would  briu''  lliiir  br- 


i.n:ri'.   I'i;\rv  ami  Nuirrii  ckiiiixi.  wn  I'aui'n-. 
lon^'ini^s  witli  ihcni  on  llK-ir  sk'ds,  and  a  nnnd)(.-r  of  fanii- 
lirs  remained  and  hnill.  their  winter  igloos  tlKav,  so  that 

fth 


Ion.'  lon,;^-  there  was  unite  a  \-iila,i;e  ol  them  m 


horhood 


the  neii^h- 
d.  Prominent  anion^'  these  were  the  families  of 
Koloten.ui'ua,  (  )nolka,  and  Koko.  and  the  "  an^ekok  " 
Kioopedo,  whose  matrimonial  infelicities  are  elsewhere 
narrated.    All  of  them  became  staunch  and  useful  friends. 


r. 


y 

r. 


r 
c 


'1!^ 


'». 


!1: 


iv 


rm-:  riiAKv  reliiu'  i:xrEnirioN. 


37' 


T1r\  soon  (U'xt'Iopfd  a  fondiR'ss  for  thf  wliitt'  niair.s  food, 
especially  folTci-  and  hisciiil,  and  were  rej^iilarly  treated 
to  thesi'  (klieacies.  The  part)-,  too,  applied  tliein- 
seK'es  (liliM-eiitlv  to  ieaniiii};  llu'  iCskiiiios'  laujj^iiaj^a', 
and  with  siieli  siieeess  that  hefore  the  winter  was  half 
over  most  of  theiii  wi're  ahle  to  converse  fluently  in  that 
tonj^ne. 

Mr.  \'erlioelT  had  stron.u;  inclinations  towards  nieteor- 
olo*;y,  therefore  the  ol)ser\ation  of  all  nieteorolojrical 
pluiinnuiia  wa>  enlrnsted  to  him,  and  he  became  so 
(kTi)l\-  inl(.restrd  in  it  that  when  Lirnt.  l'ear\-  went  away 
on  lii>  Jtiurney  owr  iIr-  inland  icr,  Mr.  WrhoelT  showed 
no  an\i(.l\  to  accoini)any  him,  but  remained  to  continne 
his  fa\-(>rile  pnrsnil. 

I'or  (.xercisr.  while  the  ni^hl  laslt-d,  at  least  once  e\-ery 
t we'll t\- four  ]i()ur>,  all  ilu'  male  members  of  the  party 
tra\ek(l  out  to  a  lar^r  icrbc'r^  about  a  mile  from 
shorr  in  MrKilk'  Hay  and  cut  ice  for  driiikin<4'  purjioses. 
The\-  also  took  short  daih'  walks  in  which  Mrs.  I'^ary 
almost  iiuariably  took  part. 

I'\asts  wvre  nunurons.  Thf  birthdaxs  of  (.■ach  member 
of  the  ]xirt\'  wa>  llu'  occa>ion  of  one,  and  on  Xew  Year's 
day  Mi>.  I'earx'  ;^a\  c  .i  ixcc-ptioii  which  was  ,:^raced  with 
the  ])rescnce  of  the  whole  ]'->kiino  tribe,  man,  woman 
and  child. 

.\ltliou,i;Ii  the  weather  was  \-ery  cold,  the  thermometer 
fallinii  on  one  occasion  a>  low  as  fifty-three  dej.;;ress  below 
zero,  the  entire  p,.rty  was  (piite  comfortable,  and  did  not 
burn  within  one   ton  of  the  se\en  tons  of  coal  which  had 


1. 


ft: 
%  " 

t 

i       : 


1: 


:,7  J  /N  ARC  TIL '  SEAS. 

bfcn  left  Ijcliiiul  lor  tlirir  use.  Xc-illier  did  tliey  con- 
sinnc  llicir  allowancf  of  kerosene-. 

On  I'\l)rnary  i.}.  Lieut.  Pearw  Mr.  Astrup  and  Dr. 
Cook  went  to  see  the  fust  sunrise,  wliicli  would  occur  on 
the  fifteenth,  the  next  da\-.  TIkn"  had  scarcely  reached 
the  sununit  ot  the  l)luffs  behind  the  Red  ClifT  Hou.se 
wIk'U  a  furious  teni])est  of  wind  and  rain  aro.se  on  the 
coast,  and  of  rain  and  snow  on  the  ice-cap.  Iu)r  forty- 
ei_i;ht  hours  the  storm  ra^ed  violentl)',  and  almost  blew 
down  the  house.  The  ])arty  was  Ijuried  deep  under  the 
drifts  and  was  only  with  difficulty  extricated. 

Soon  after  was  bc^un  the  work  of  carryinjL^  provi.sion.s 
for  the  i^nvat  jourue\-  to  the  head  of  .McCormick  P>ay. 
Camp  Tuctu  was  established  as  a  depot,  and  every 
day  or  two  (piantities  of  food  were  hauled  thither.  In 
the  meantime,  Lieut.  Peary,  with  Mrs.  Peary  and  a 
nati\e  dri\'er,  went  in  a  sledge  drawn  b\'  thirteen  doj^s  to 
luiujlefield  (iiilf  and  resumed  the  exi)loration  of  that 
body  of  water.  It  will  jirobably  be  remembered  tliat 
Lieut.  Pear\'  had  been  disappointed  in  his  expectation 
of  securing  doL;s  on  the  wa\'  up  on  the  l\il(\  at  Disko 
and  ('ther  points  called  at.  He  was  more  fortunate  in 
the  North,  and  accpiired  a  maj^nificent  ])ack  of  that  only 
half- tamed  breed  of  bear-do,!L;s  used  by  the  natives  both 
in  the  hunt  and  as  drans^ht  animals. 

I)uriu<^-  this  journey  tlie  part\-  slept  without  shelter 
except  on  one  occasion,  wlicn  a  heav\'  stonn  l)lew  up 
and  Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Peary  were  compelled  to  take 
refuse  in   an    ivrloo   and    house   with    the    natives    wlio 


^.^.tunuammmmtoiii 


THE  PEARY  REJJEE  EX/'E/UTIOX. 


.->!  ,1 


owned  it.  In  the  cxploraliou  of  In^k-lRld  Ciiilf,  cowv- 
iiig-  a  circuit  of  more  than  JS"  niilc-s.  many  enormous 
<,daciers  were  discoxered,  wliieli  Lieut.  l\.ar\-  nanieil 
respectively  Leid\\  Ileilprin,  Trae\\  Ivminhar,  .Mehille, 
Meehan,  Sun,  llrinton,  Ilart,  IIul)l)ard,  Sliar]i  and 
Dahlj^ren.  IJesides  these  were  discovered  1)\  liini 
-Mounts  I)al\-,  Adams  and  I'utnam,  and  the  ma,i;nificent 
line  of  naturalK-  sculptured  dills,  which  lor  their 
fancied  resemblance  to  the  ruins  of  the  ICi^xptian  temple 
on  the  Nile,  he  named  Karnak.  The  two  e\i)lorers 
. ..,  -     -.."'••.■'-.  remained  away  a  week. 

InnnediateK  on  tlu-ir  re- 
turn the  linal  pre])arations 
were  made  for  the  inland 
ice  journey.  <  )u  the  last 
da\"  of  A])ril,  the  work  t)f 
transporting;"  the  pro\-isions 
and  other  supplies  from  Camp  Tuctu  to  the  ice-cap  was 
bej^'un,  en,^a,^'in,i;'  all  of  the  male  mend)ers  of  the  ])art\ , 
and  all  the  nude  Ivskimos  of  the  settlement  lendin,i4  a 
hand.  Little  by  little  the\-  were  taken  o\-er  the  >teep 
and  broken  ascent  which  inter\-ened  between  the  camp 
and  the  edi^e  of  the  ice,  the  nature  of  the  L^round 
necessitating^'  the  toilful  carryin.^;'  of  the  whole  outht  .)U 
their  backs. 

.\t  last,  three  (bus  later,  on  Ma\'  _^,  iiSij^,  came  the 
time  to  start.  It  was  ei^ht  o'clock  in  the  morniuL;  when 
Hensou  was  sent  to  the  ice-loot  with  the  lar^e  doi^-sled. 
The   eiu'lit  da\s'    rest  whicli    the   animals   had   enio\ed 


'■3I<flP*»s, 


374 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


\\% 


\  t 


since  tlie  relurii  from  the  exploration  aronnd  Inj^defield 
(inlf  had  pnt  them  in  hi<;h  si)irit.--,  and  it  was  all  that 
Ilenson  could  do,  experienced  whip  as  he  had  become, 
t<i  k(.(.-])  in  order  the  fi^htin^;  and  snarlinj^  pack  (jf 
seuii-wolves.  Lieut.  l'ear\'  followed  in  the  track 
of  the  sled,  acconi])anied  for  .some  distance  I)\  Mrs. 
lVar>. 

(  Ml  their  wa\-  the\'  met  \'erhoeff,  who  shook  hands 
heartih,  and  hade  !:;ood-l)\'  with  man\'  i^ood  wi>lK-s  for  a 
successful  return  and  the  fulfdnient  nf  the  hrii^htest  hopes 
entertained  (if  the  outcome  of  the  journey.  (  )n  looking- 
ar<  111  ud,  Imwewr,  fir  the  uali\es  in  order  to  ])id  iIkmu  lare- 
wt-'ll,  Udl  a  si^n  nf  them  was  tn  he  >eeu.  All  had  ilis- 
a])pi'ared  within  llieir  huts.  To  tlu-ir  >u])erstitious  mimK 
iIk'  white  chieflain  was  rushim;'  to  certain  destruction. 
Ilr  was  sureh"  .i^oin^'  to  W-  de\-ourc(l  t)\-  the  horrid  S]>irit 
of  ihe  hw  the  awful  Korko\a,  and  th.ev  were  hiding;  in 
oi'der  that  lhe\-  and  their  kindred  mii^ht  not  he  included 
in  the  fate  certain  to  owrtake  all  who  partici])at(.-d  in 
the  sacrilcL^'e  of  iuwadiu^-  his  forbidden  domain. 

The  crack  of  Ileuson's  whip  wa>  heard  in  the  distance, 
and  then  as  In-  disappeared  be\ond  ,i  -mall  rock\-  emin- 
ence all  was  silence.  Lieut.  IV-arx  and  his  wile  were 
alone;  the  moment  for  the  p.uliuL;.  which  mi^^ht  l)e  for- 
ever, had  couiL'. 

Looking;  b.ick,  Lieul.  I'eary  saw  once  more  thv 
nniflled  fur-clad  fii^uri'  witli  ihe  fiithfnl  Xewfoundland,, 
"  I'rank,"  besiile  her — then  .i  turn  in  the  shore  shut 
out  the  >i''ht  ;   the  inl.iud  iourne\-  had  bc'un. 


1 


i 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


.1,  n 


At  tlirec  o'clock  on  the-  followiiiiL,'  nioniiiii;  Licnl. 
Peary,  carrxiii,::'-  the  li,L;lil  iiiland-icc-sk-d,  and  Hcii>()n, 
with  the  do,L,^-^  and  the  lari^e  >led,  arrixed  at  the  starting; 
point,  after  a  weary  elinil)  (i\er  the  rnj^ined  and  sl<in\- 
j^round  (jf  the  .^ors^e  at  the  liead  of  MeCi)rniiek  \\a\  . 
Here  the\'  fonnd  Astru]),  (iibson  and  I  )r.  Cnok  fist 
asleep  in  their  bai^s.  After  a  sliort  rest,  the  sk-di^es 
and    numerous    baggage   ot    tlie    exploring    ])art\    wrre 


r^^ — \ ^ 

ii'-- 

^pTl 

Sp  ''!  di^'^^' 

JL 

i^^^ 

♦ 

/ 

.      Aw^-i^'j^      '    il 

^^y% 

''  'z.,^U^^ 

*,«Bfflr-  g^^  w    ^^v 

1     ./~ 

1  «'^  . 

m 

•-^iT-'* 

"^^ 

INTl.RIiiK    111     AN     ir.I.dd. 

gotten  over  tlu-  (.-dge  of  tin-  inland  ice:  the  work  in- 
voK-ini;  the  nin^t.  -irenuou'-  etfort-  on  the  ]iart  dI"  tlu- 
men  and  the  dn^-  cnuibined.  The  >k\'  presaged  a 
storm.  This,  howtwr.  \\•a-^  l.iker.  Ia  tlu-  k-ader  of  tlu- 
])art\'  as  a  ^ond  iinun.  Twiee  l^-fore,  wlu-n  lu-  li.ui 
made-  sueee-sfnl  ineur^ion^  on  tlu-  iet-  tiehl,  his  M-ttin;^ 
out  had  bt-c-u  aeeonUKinied  b\  threatening  wx-ather, 
seemingh'  tlu-  ])romis(.'  of  ,i  jKirtienlarly  hanl  linii,  .  (  ):•. 
each  oeeasion.  ho\v<.-\  rr,  tlu  iiro^no>tieation  pro\ x-d  fa!>'j. 


376 


IN  ARC7/C  SHAS. 


)V. 


The  final  pivpai'ilioiis,  llu'  parkin^;-  of  tliu  skd^t-s, 
was  the  w'tii'k  of  no  Irss  llian  two  (la\  s  ;  l)nt  at  kn.^th 
all  was  ready,  and  llic  do.^s,  which  now  lunnhcrL-d 
twi'nt\-  in  all,  wc-ix-  harnessed,  and  the  parts'  .^ot  nnder 
way  ;  a  loni^,  strai^^^lin:^-  i)rofession,  sliding-  on  skis  <jr 
striding  o\er  the  yielding-  white  snrface  on  their  snow- 
shoes  ;  Lient.  Tears  in  the  \an  and  marking;  the  eonrse, 
followed  closeK'  I)}'  (iil)Son  and  his  team.  Dr.  Cook  with 
another,  and  Astrn])  hrin^inj;'  np  the  rear,  with  the  bi,^^ 
doi;-sled  and  a  smaller  sled  in  tow.  Henson's  heel 
(which  had  been  frozen  dnrin<4-  the  j^recediiiL;  winter) 
became  so  i)ainfrd  after  abont  a  mile  of  the  inland  ice 
liad  been  traxersed,  and  he  snffered  so  intensely  with  it, 
that  it  was  thought  best  not  to  let  him  continne  fnrther, 
and  he  was  accord ini^ly  sent  back.  The  wild  wohes, 
miscalled  doi^^s,  which  made  np  the  teams  were  fonnd  to 
be  an  exceed in^ls-  dilTicnlt  lot  to  niana.^e.  vSearceh-  an 
honr  i)assed  when  t)ne  or  the  other  had  not  sncceeded  in 
twisting-  his  harness  into  knots  or  did  not  ^et  into  a 
bloodv  wrani^le  with  some  one  or  other  of  his  com- 
panions At  the  rests  of  the  ])art\-,  it  frecpientK-  hap- 
])ened  that  the  whole  pack  wonld  break  awa\-,  ami  then 
ensued  a  time  of  chasing-  and  recai)tnrin,<;-  the  wild 
animals,  in  which  their  captors  were  often,  and  sonu- 
times  se\-erel\-,  bitten. 

\'er\-  little  ])ro.!L;ress  was  made  on  May  <S,  the  second 
dav  after  the  start,  owini;  to  the  violent  jLjale  which 
blew  from  the  interior  drivini:;-  the  frozen  particles  of 
the  snrface   ice  into  the  faces  of  the  ad\ancin<j  column. 


TUI-:  rr.AKY  rei.iei'  i:xri-:i^irioN.       :.-- 

To  sliicld  t.lR-niscI\-L'S  aj.;aiii>l  llir  blizzard,  iL;liii>s  wiix' 
coHsiniclc-d  of  snow,  into  which  tin-  |iarl\  rirpl  lo 
wail  until  \.\\v  slorni  shonld  ha\-c'  ahatrd  il>  st.Ai.ril\-. 
AflL-r  twenly-fonr  honrs  of  this  confmcnu-nt  llic  cold 
became  nnbcarablc,  and  notwithstanding-  the  >tin!^ii!^- 
impact  of  the  ic\-  ])articlcs,  Lii-nt.  l'car\-  and  (libson, 
who  luul  sluiicd  one  ut'  the  igloos,  started  out  and  at  last 


CATCniNC,    FISH    THROmiT    THK    ICK. 

felt  a  .i^low  oi   warmth   induced    to  their   Ixxlies  by  the 
exertion. 

IvOokiniL;'  for  Dr.  Cook  and  Astrnji,  who  wiie 
encamped  further  on,  they  found  them  almost  com- 
])letely  buried  out  of  si^ht.  The  upslanders  of  tluir 
sleds,  h\e  feet  or  more  luL^h,  were  just  bareh'  \isible 
above  the  drift.  b'or  hours  the  explorers  worked  at 
extricating^  the  sledt^es.  It  was  lound  that  Dr.  Cook 
and  Astrup  had  been   unable    to   *;et  t)Ut  ot   their  ij.;lou 


1; 


378 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


because  of  the  fri.Ljhtful  drift  and  wind.  After  the  sleds 
had  been  (\\v^  ont  the  do<;s  had  to  1)e  corraled.  Tlie 
brntes  had  broken  away  and  had  cliewed  uj)  tlieir  liar- 
ness,  Ix'sides  dcvonrinjj^  c\er\"  ])article  of  food  whicl'.  was 
accessible,  and  tlieir  recapture  was  a  task  of  no  little 
difficulty  and  required  ])atience  a>  well  as  (le\lerit\'.  It 
was  usually  done  b\' allurinjj;- them  with  food,  rapidly  seiz- 
inj;- them  and  bur\ing  their  heads  in  the  snow.  W'lun 
done  skilfully  enough  one  mi.i^ht  expect  to  escape 
with  the  infliction  of  onl\-  two  or  three  bites.  Some  <if 
them,  howe\-er,  befjre  lhe\-  were  sulxlued,  had  to  be 
la.ssoed  and  almost  choked  to  death. 

The  ex])eriences  with  ii4lo(>-»  had  proN'ed  so  disagree- 
able, thev  were  f)und  so  cold  and  occupied  so  nuich 
time  in  buildim;,  that  on  the  later  marches  the\'  were 
entirely  tlispenscd  with. 


cH.\rTi-:R   XIII. 

Tin:  Jdikni.v  ovi.K  Tin:  Ini.anh  Ici:.  — iMruKT.wr  (".hockaimih.  ai. 
I  »isci)\i:kii:s. — C.ki  !:ni.ani»  an  Isi.anh.  — lM>i:rKNi'i:Nei':  1!ay. — 
Tni-:  Ri:TruN. 

UXI)I\R  IIksl-  and  similar  (lisc()ura;^ciiKMils,  at  last, 
on  Ma\'  14,  tin-  true  inland  ice  was  U'achrd,  and 
not  nntil  the  next  day.  May  15.  did  the-  party  make  their 
first  inarch  over  its  j^radnal  and  easy  incline.  In  the 
interim,  four  of  the  do,t;s  had  snccmnbed  to  a  disease 
])eculiar  to  their  hreed.  l-'our  of  the  ei.nht  sled.^es  with 
which  the  part\-  had  set  out  had  also  been  abandoned  as 
unserviceable. 

A  contri\-ance  inveiited  b\  Lieut.  I'ear\-  ma\  hert-  be 
mentioned.  It  consisted  of  a  li.^ht  wheel  about  three 
feet  in  diameter,  with  a  hollow  hub,  in  which  was  ])laced 
an  odoiuetre,  a  simple  de\-ice  of  clock-work.  This  was 
attached  to  the  rear  of  one  of  the  sled.i^es,  and  b\-  its 
means  not  onl\-  was  it  possible  to  keeji  an  accurate  rec- 
ord of  the  nuinl)er  of  miles  tra\-eled,  but  this  record  was 
f(jund  a  \-er\-  useful  aid  and  >ui)pleineiit  to  the  results 
obtained  bv  sextant,  chronometer  and  compass  in  the 
reckonings  for  ])o>ition. 

I))-  the  twent\--first  of  Ma\-  the  part\'  found  itself  130 
miles  from  Red  Cliff  House  on  the  ed^e  of  the  basin  of 
the   },n-eat    Humboldt   (ilacier.       Here  a  halt  was  made 


--S 


M 

M 


■■*'W»*!l«Wl*«._ 


!  I 


:S(, 


JN  .lA'C'/VC  s/-:.-is. 


m 


'1: 


• 


and  a  (liscussidii  had  as  lo  llu'  coinpositioii  of  tin-  |iarl\- 
w'licli  was  III  ad\aiicr  rnrllirr  iinrlliward.  Lirul.  iV-ars' 
sul)iiiitU(l  lo  liis  (.'onipaiiions  llial  now  Ihcy  liad  liad  a 
fair  torrlasK- of  wlial  woidd  lia\r  to  !)(.■  (.■iiduu-d,  and  llial 
[\\v\-  \\x\\:  ])rol)al)ly  awarc'  of  ilu'  fu-l  tlial  llu-  ])id|ioS(.'d 
jonrntA  was  not  lo  Iil-  a  holiday  jannl  ;  ihal  Ik-  had  tk-- 
Urniintd  <'n  taking  willi  liini  oii!\-  a  sini^k'  i'oni])anion, 
and  lif  c-cdk-d  npon  <>uv  of  llii.in  to  xdlnnUrr  for  this  jio'-i- 
tion.  Alk  Hi'.  Cook  fii>t,  followc-il  1)\-  Astrup  and  ( iikson, 
ivs|)on(k-d  with  alacrity,  (.'ach  r\])n.'Ssin,L;' his  c-ai^c-rnc-s.s  to 
])rocc(.'(k  so  that  it  diAdlwd  upon  I^itiit.  I'c-ary  to  (kcidc 
bttwc-rn  tlu-  three-.  1  k- chost- Astru]),  and  se-k-ctt-d  thir- 
trrn  of  tin-  doL;s  and  thrc-e  of  tlu-  sk-d.^vs  k)r  his  own  usr. 
Tin-  otlK-rs  were-  sent  ha.ck  witk  Mr.  (libsoii  and  Dr. 
Cook,  ('.ikson  was  niNTn  connnand  of  tla-  re-tiirnin^ 
partx  ,  and  Dr.  Cook  was  (k-pntize-d  to  take-  charL^e-  of 
the-  se-ttk-nie-nt  at  Re-d  Cliff  House-  until  kis  chie-f  should 
return. 

The-  ne-.\t  niorniut^-,  afte-r  the-  loads  kad  ke-cn  re-adjuste-d 
and  tke-  hiskiuL;  of  tke-  sle-di^e-s  looke-d  afte-r,  Dr.  Cook 
and  (liksou.  supplie-d  witk  ample-  rations,  and  ])ro\-ide-d 
witk  one-  of  tke-  li.L^kte-r  sk-d^e-s  dra.i^'^e-d  k\-  a  te-ani  of  two 
do^s,  bade-  tke-ir  e-onipanions  kuvwe-11  and  se-toutou  ike-ir 
return  to  ^k'Corn^ie'k  Haw  Tke-ir  re-turn  trip  was  witk- 
out  incide-nt  and  eN)Uiparati\'e-ly  pk-asant,  and  it  wasuiade- 
witk  uiue'k  .^re-ate-r  e-ase- tkan  tke- outward  journe-y.  Tke-y 
arri\e-d  at  Rvd  Cliff  House-  on  July  3. 

.\fter  tke-\-  had  de-parte-d  Die-ut.  I'e-ary  laid  his  e-onrse- 
uorthe-asl  true-,  hoping-  the-re-by,  if  the-  nia])S  of  the- re-L;iou 


k 


r. 


t- 
r 

f 


c 


t- 
t 

c 

r. 


\w 


li 


■/'///■;  /'/•:.  I  A')-  A'/;/.//;/-  i:Xi'i:nrm^\. 


K 

4 


wrw    to   1k'   tnistid,  to    tscapi'  tlir  h.isiii    of    I'rtnniaini 
iMoid   a>   will   a>  of  Si.    (kor^i's   I'iotd    IhaoikI.      Tlir 
ordcT  of  march    wliii'li    \va>   now   adoiilrd  waN    krpl    up 
tlirou,L;lionl    llu-    jounu'V.        In    a(l\aiu'r    stvoiU-    I<iiul. 
l\ar\\    (.ACT)-    fafuU\    >lraiiK-(l    to    kiip    his    (Hirctioii, 
Astnip,  in  cliari^c'  of  [he  do^s  and  ihr  sKd,L;r>,  l)Mii.L;iii,L; 
up  ihr  rear.      'iMir  do.i^s  soon  hrranu'  acc-n^touu-d  lo  lol- 
low  ihr  Icadrr,  and  with   an   occasional   nr.u;in;^   and  cn- 
conra,L;cnicnl    from    .\>lrnp,    llicir  driver,     in   dm-    liuic 
l)ccamc    (|nilc    mana,u;cal)l(.    ami    buckled    down    to    iln' 
arduous  work  expected  of  tlieni  with  a  ri.L^ht  L;ood  will. 
Owiii.L;  to  the   nature  of  that   limitless  white  wilderuos, 
haricn  of  all  landmarks,  the  task  of   keepin,!^  a  direction 
was    most   (.'xhaustini:;  ;    mere   description    will    nixe    no 
idea  of  its  fatii^ue.      In  e\-er\-  direction,  as  far  a>  the  e\  e 
can    reach,    is    an    unbroken,    white    expanse,     withont 
relief,  without   lantlniark   of  an\-  kind  ;   in    fact,  a>  bare 
of  such  as  tlk'  trackli-ss  oci'an.      An  hour">  prou;re»  at  a 
time,  with  constant   reckonings  and   references   to  com- 
pass,   charts  and   other  means  of  determinin.i;    po>ition, 
was  all   that  was   ])ossible,  and   the  wear  was  so  .L^reat  as 
to  make  it  at  times  unendurable. 

In  his  belief,  howe\-er,  that  b\-  the  coursi-  taken  he 
would  ckar  the  I'eterniann  I'.a.sin,  Lieut.  I'earx  wa>  mis- 
taken. .\t  the  end  of  sewn  da\s'  march  a  detour  of 
some  ten  miles  became  necessary  in  order  to  a\oid 
the  inecjualities  and  cre\-asses  wliich  ])e,L;an  to  mark  the 
inland  ice.  This  is  a  feature  common  to  all  ])oints  where 
there    is   an    ()i)enin.i;-   towards   the   >ea  ;    these   openings 


ii 


II; 


'i 


i( 


384 


/N  ARcnc  S/i.tS. 


favoring;  llu-  (ktacliiiR-nt  of  portions  tVoiii  the  central 
mass  and  the  forni.'ition  of  j^lacit-rs. 

It  was  on  the  last  day  of  .Ma\'  that  the  basin  of  IVler- 
niann  I'iord  was  reached.  The  weather  was  pleasant  and 
clear  ;  the  thennonieter  re<ristered  77'  in  the  snn  at  niid- 
da\ .  The  explorers  went  into  canip  and  remained  there 
for  thirt\-si.\  honrs,  availinj;  themselves  of  the  oppor- 
tnnit\-  ofTered  by  the  clear  day  to  thoronj^hh'  dry  their 
clothes  ;  and  Lient.  Peary  e\-en  felt  mo\e(l  to  enjoN'  the 
Inxury  of  a  snow  bath.  I-'rom  Petermann  I'iord  onward 
the  surface  was  fonnd  to  be  almost  le\el,  so  that  the 
hij^her  peaks  which  marked  the  fiord  remained  in  si^rht 
a  distance  of  nearly  fort\-  miles.  lUit  soon  after  this  the 
j^ronnd  bej^^an  to  ascend. 

This  was  a  snrprise  to  Lient.  I'eary,  for,  accordinj^  to  the 
charts,  the  next  ^reat  indentation,  that  of  .Sherard  ( )sborn 
Fiord  slionld  be  nmch  fnrther  to  the  northeast  than  this 
rise  indicated.  vSiqiposinj^-,  however,  that  it  was  (jnite 
possible  that  the  basin  of  that  fiord  mi«;ht  extend  nincli 
fnrther  inland  and  southward  than  it  was  heretofore  be- 
lieved, he  continned  on.  On  the  eij^hth  da\-  of  Jnne  its 
snpposed  depression  was  in  sii.dit.  In  order  toescajje  the 
expected  ineqnalities  of  the  si.ir'ace  it  was  decided  to  de- 
flect the  conrse  to  the  eastwi'vd.  As  the  experience  of  the 
next  fortnij^ht  demonstraLeil,  it  would  have  been  well  if 
this  rcsolntion  had  been  taken  sooner,  for  the  travelers 
soon  fonnd  that  they  had  walked  ri<4ht  into  the  southern 
cd<;e  of  a  j^reat  .glacial  depression,  and  were  amonji^  the 
crevasses  and  short  slipper}-  hillocks  of  ice  whicli  form 


THi-:  I '/•:.'! A' ) ■  AVi'A //:/ •  j-:xri:ni noN.      3S5 

their  iiifvitahlf  ai-coiiipaiiiiiK'til.  <  )ii  the  opposite  side  of 
thv  jjlacial  basin  rose  steep  eliffs  and  iey  sh)pes,  which  it 
was  inipos>n)le  to  scale  with  thi'ir  heavilv-hiden  sledj^es. 
The  weather  had  l)econie  \er\  threateninj^;  an<;r\' 
black  clouds  were  iLj^atherinj^s  and  scarcely  had  the  ad- 
venturers j^one  into  canij)  for  the  day  when  the  storm 
broke  loose  with  <,aeat  violence.  In)r  two  da\s  they 
were  fast  ])risoners  in  their  little  shelter,  consislinin  of 
an  excavation  made  into  the  snow  and  fnrther  protected 


-.-"/^''■^ 

i;SKIMnS'    I'llX-TRAT. 

as  well  as  nii^ht  be  by  bankin.t;  their  sled_L,a'S  and  spread- 
in<>^  a  tarpaulin  and  a  small  sail  to  the  windward.  When 
the  storm  had  abated  and,  after  obserxinii;-  the  lay  of  the 
land,  it  was  found  that  there  was  nolhinj^-  to  do  l)ut  to 
turn  to  the  south  and  reach  the  more  practicable  sur- 
face of  the  hei,t;hts  of  the  interior  ice-cap.  Two  entire 
days  of  most  difficult  and  arduous  clind)iu!:;  were  re(|uire(i, 
many  miles  of  the  hard-earned  northerly  ad\-auce  had  to 
be   retraced,   and   an   elevation  of  more  than  6000  fret 


y.-ffjg^jiwy:^-; 


)\h 


k 


386 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


al)o\'(j  sea  k'\el  R-achcd,  ])clorc  its  unobstniclcd,  c-vcii 
coiivexit)'  was  a,^aiu  under  fool.  To  the  eastward  was 
still  seen  the  depression  which  marked  the  fiord. 

After  turninj;-  the  same  the  march  was  continued  a 
short  distance  to  the  north  and  northeast,  when  the 
i^round  aj^ain  showe<l  si^ns  of  unevenncss  and  be^nan  to 
be  traversed  b\'  yawnint^-  crevasses.  To  add  to  the  diffi- 
culties tliey  were  now  beset  by  bewilderin,!;-  fo,L;s,  throw- 
iiio-  everythin<;-,  snow,  air  and  sky,  into  a  miiform  hazy 
white  li.^ht,  making  it  impossible  to  distinguish  one  from 
the  other,  the  effect  l)eing  nnich  the  same  as  tlnnigh  one 
were  enveloped  in  complete  nothingness  ;  there  was  no 
outline;  all  was  one  forndess  void.  I'nder  these  circum- 
stances there  was  nothing  to  do  l)ut  to  await  more  fa\-or- 
able  conditions. 

In  the  excessively  hard  work  of  the  da\s  just  described, 
Xalegaksuk,  the  l<est  of  the  whole  dog  team,  had  si)raiued 
his  foot  and  soon  showed  signs  of  the  dog  disease,  and  had 
to  be  killed.  The  large  sledge,  too,  had  suffered  from 
the  strain,  and  a  whole  da\-  was  sjK'Ut  in  relashing  and 
making  other  repairs.  The  intervals  were  filled  up  b\- 
readjr.sting  the  loads  and  throwing  awa>-  such  things  as 
ex])erieuce  had  iiroxeii  could  be  spared. 

It  was  now  discoxered  that  the  basin  which  had  been 
sui)p()sed  to  be  the  vSherard  Osboru  iMord  was  in  realit\- 
that  of  vSt.  (ieorge,  wliich  extends  much  further  inland 
than  was  herett)fore  believed.  The  crevasses  last  en- 
countered, howe\"er,  belonged  to  the  glacier  basin  of 
Sherard  Osboru. 


TlfE  PEAR  } '  Rr.LIi:!-  EXPRDfTION.         .^S; 

Drlk-ctin,-;  a-ain  towards  tin.-  icx-cai).  ^'li^  last  (U-jtivs- 
siun  was  at  last  succcssfnllx-  flanked.  The  oMirsr  was 
a,<;-aiu  ii()rtl:.,M>tward.  The  wcallicr  was  clear,  the  sun 
shone  hriohtlx-,  hut  travel  now  was  impeded  bv  a  new 
ditficiilt\-;  the  snow  became  x.ft  and  stick\-.  and  the 
heat  so  oj)i)ressive  that  the  voya-eis  were  constrained  to 
throw  off  all  of  their  outer  clothin-  The  risin- -round, 
too,  indicated  that  the\  were  ascendni-  the  divide  be- 
tween vSherard  Osborn  and  of  another  indentation  of  the 
shore  further  to  the  northeast.  These  combined  dis- 
comforts affected  the  s])irits  of  botli  the  travelers.  I'.xen 
Astru]),  always  l)ri-ht  and  cheerfnl,  was  depressed,  his 
merr_\-  sin-in-  which  had  accom])anie(l  the  prex-ions  daws 
of  smooth,  easv  -lidin-  ha<l  ceased,  and  with  li])s  com- 
pressed and  in  -rim  silence  he  was  aidin--  his  tu-.-ini^^ 
team  b>  pnshin--  the  hea\_\-  sled.i;es  up  the  steep 
inclines. 

I!y  the  t\vent\-si.\th  of  June  the  ei-hl\-second  par- 
allel was  reached.  Tlie  coast-land,  which  dnrin-- the 
da\s  immediatel\-  precedin--  had,  from  time  to  time, 
been  si-hted,  and  up  to  this  ])oint  was  invarial)]\-  seen 
toward  the  nortliwest,  her-  suddeiih-  confronted  the 
travelers  on  the  northeast,  trendin-  first  east,  and  finallv 
southea>t.      Snpposin--  he   had   reached    \"ictoria    Inlet, 


Lient.  I'ear\-  chan-ed 


his  course  southeast,  expectin;--  he 


would  ])e  able  to  >kirt  it  and  -vt  around  its  lu^ad,  as 
he  had  alreadx'  turni'd  that  of  iVtermanu  and  Sherard 
Osborn.  lint  the  coa>t,  now  clearlv  in  si-lit  u\\  the  left, 
mamtauied  its  trend  in  a  din-ction  almost  true  sontlu^ast 


!|: 


■  U 


jSS 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


Sv 


m 


1: 


and  parallel  with  the  course  a(l()])te(l,  aiul  several 
glaciers  were  passed,  all  flowing;  in  a  northeasterly 
direction. 

At  lcn<i^th,  on  July  i,  land  was  sighted  almost  due 
east.  It  was  mountainous,  free  of  ice  or  snow,  and 
throuj^h  a  depression  between  two  of  its  hioliest  knobs 
nothin<;  was  seen  in  the  sk\'  beyond  of  the  ice  blink,  nor 
of  that  blue  haze  iudicatinjLj^  land.  Wliat  could  it  be 
then  but  a  lofty  headland,  and  what  beyond  but  the 
waters  of  the  hi,i;h  Arctic  ocean  washing  the  eastern 
coast  of  Greenland  ? 

The  northern  terminal  iK)int  of  the  large  glacial  mass 
which  covers  the  whole  interior  of  (ireenland  had  been 
reached — that  was  clear.  At  its  foot,  before  the  trav- 
elers, la\-  a  bare,  stony  country-  ;  bexond  it  the  higher 
land  first  seen,  and  beyond  that — what  ? 

Selecting  a  spot  which  seemed  most  favorable  to  a 
descent  from  the  ice-cap,  and  determined  to  solve  with- 
out delay  the  myster\'  which  the  heights  in  the  east  con- 
cealed, Lieut.  Pear\-,  leaving  Astruj)  in  camp,  proceeded 
at  once  over  the  rough,  broken,  stony  ground  towards 
the  depression  seen  1)etween  the  mountains.  The  dis- 
tance did  not  seem  great,  ])rol)ably  four  or  five  miles, 
and  a  few  hours  would  suffice  to  tra\-erse  it  and  return. 
Hut  the  mountains  appeared  to  recede  as  the  explorer 
advanced.  Ivx'erN'  hill  which  was  clind)ed,  in  the  belief 
that  sureh'  it  was  the  last  intervening  between  the  goal, 
was  fi)und,  when  its  toj)  had  l)eeu  reached,  onl\- to  reveal 
another  eminence  beyond.      The  ground  was  e.\cessi\ely 


THE  PEAR ) '  RELIEE  EXPEDl  HON.         :,Hg 

difficult;  the  sharp,  hard  splinters  of  brokfii  rock,  whicii 
ccjvcrcd  it  in  a  confused  hiycr,  cut  mercilessly  throut;li 
the  foot.^ear  of  the  traveler  ;  the  oppressive  lieat,  the 
steady  ascent — all  these  conspired  to  make  this  one  of 
the  hardest  ])ieces  cjf  work  of  the  entire  tri]). 

At  first  the  country  traversed  was  absolnteh'  barren, 
the  stony  .ground  showinj^--  not  even  so  much  as  the  trace 
of  a  lichen.  What  words  therefore  can  describe  tlie  plea- 
sure of  the  vo\-a.i;er  when  suddeuK"  he  heard  a  twitterins^^ 
and  a  little  black  and  white  snow-buntin.Lj  Hew  overhead? 
Soon  another  trace  of  life  was  seen,  a  ])atch  of  nn.iuid, 
under  the  lea  of  a  hu.^e  boulder,  fifteen  or  more  feet 
hij^h,  covered  with  a  luxuriant  crop  of  orass.  \\\-  eau 
ima.i^ine  his  feelin<4S  when  it  is  remend)ere(l  that  these 
bits  of  rank  vegetation  are  in  all  (ireeuland  a  sure  indi- 
cation that  the  sjiot  was  once  the  site  of  an  i.^loo,  and 
how  his  pulse  umst  have  quickened  when  it  fiashed  on 
him  that  jiossibl)-  he  was  in  proximit\-  to  human  beings. 

Closer  inspection,  however,  showed  that  the  ])lace 
was  a  shelter  for  musk-oxen,  some  hair  and  other  traces 
of  the  animals  beinj;-  found.  .Musk-ox  traces  n..w  be- 
came numerous;  a  bleached  skeleton  of  oiu-  was  seen 
with  the  bones  broken  in  such  a  wa\  as  to  lead  Lieul. 
IVar\-  to  su])])()se  the  animal  had  been  killed  and  de- 
X'onred  b\-  woK'es. 

Mowers,  loo,  beo-au  to  appear,  ])uri)le.  while,  and  llie 
e\-er-present  yellow  .Vrctic  pop])\\  and  throUL;h  the  air 
snow-buntin.L,'^s  fluttered  hither  and  thither  with  uierrv 
son<^ 


»,aH 


■^f 


390 


IN  AKCTIC  S/CAS. 


\W 


\: 


Tile  a])i)aixnt  fi\X'  luiks  dislaiicc  to  llir  opciiin,^-  in  the 
liills  had  now  k-n^lheiKnl  into  ihrici'  thai  nnniher,  and  still 
the  co\(.t(.(l  siLjht  heyond  was  not  obtained,  rnwillin.i^l)' 
enon.^h,  hnl  eonipelk'd  thereto  h\'  the  eondition  of  his 
car.nniks  and  the  eut^  and  laeeralion  of  his  feet,  he 
returned  toeani]).  where  he  f  mnd  Astrnpanxionsly  wait- 
in:^-,  and  read\"  to  ser\e  his  eoinpanion  with  all  three  of 
the  deferred  and  aeennmlated  meals  of  the  day.  What 
had  been  ,sn]i])osed  at  the  outset  to  he  onl\-  a  short 
exeursion  of  a  few  hours'  duration  had  heen  prolon^^ed 
into  a  1  went}- four  hours"  task,  and  the  wor>t  of  it  was 
that  its  main  jmrpose  had  bc-eu  frustrated;  the  outlook 
o\'er  those  alluring;  summits  l)e\dnd  had  not  l)ei.-n  obtained. 

After  a  refreshiui;'  sk'ep,  therefert.-.  it  was  resolwd  b\- 
Lieut.  l'ear\'  to  le;i\e  the  sled.i.;es  and  take  .\strU])  and 
thedo^sand  rations  lor  li\-e  da\s  and  >et  out  a.i;ain  on  the 
.same  ]Kith.  .Vecordin^h'  an  earh'  start  wa-^  mack'  ;  the 
do^s  seeutiuiL^  the  laud  et)u!d  hardly  be  held  in  leash. 
The  torrid  sun  had  melted  i;reat  lakes  into  the  face  of 
the  glacial  ice,  and  these,  l)reakini4-  the  banks  of  snow 
which  restrained  them,  rushed  and  fell  tiunblinj;-  in 
roarin,i;'  cascades  down  the  slope,  and  formed  a  ri\'er  at 
the  base  of  the  ice-cap.  'I'his  had  to  be  forded,  after 
wdiich  the  wa\"  lay  tor  a  mile  or  more  throni^h  slush,  in 
which  thepart\-  ilounck'red  until  at  length  the\-  readied  the 
bare  conntrs'  be\'on(k  The  route  chosen  was  sli^hth' dit- 
feivnt  from  that  trawrsed  by  Lieut.  Pearv  on  liis  first  ex- 
cursion, and  ]U"o\ed,  it  jiossibk',  iutniitely  worse.  Uarreu 
be\()ud  conception,  the  ground  was  a  layer  of  Hint-hard 


1-, 


WSSSBSSsamm: 


1: 


THE  PEARY  RELIEE  E.\7'E/U770X. 


39,1 


stones,  conipaclc-d  into  a  conj^loiiRTaU'  1)\'  llu'  liu;;v  glacial 
weight  which  for  ai^cs  had  l)oriK'  down  upon  thfin.  Thi.- 
upturned  cd<;es  cut  throu,L;h  leather  and  into  the  feet,  and 
here  and  there  hu-.^er  stones  hiy  intersjxrsed,  o\er  which 
the  tra\elers  frequently  stunil)led,sustainin^- severe  bruises 
and  cuts.  Xo  siij;u  of  life  was  \isil)le  but  an  occasional 
popp\-,  but  uiusk-o\  trails  a^ain  were  jilentiful.  The  do.^s, 
wliose  number  was  now  reduced  to  ei.i^ht,  sullered  exceed- 
inol\-  durin<^thisrou,i;hniarchin,y;.  AL;ainone  hill  followed 
the  other  in  ])rovok.ini;-  succession,  still  obstructing  the 
desired  view.  Tired  and  utterh  worn  out  the  part\- 
encauiix'd  at  last  for  a  few  iionrs  of  much  needed  rest. 

When  the\-  had  refreshed  Lhcmselves  and  had  resumed 
the  ardu<Mis  march,  just  as  they  were  pickiu;^-  their  wax- 
down  the  steep  sides  of  an  ancient  glacier  bed,  two  black 
specks  were  seen  in  the  distance.  Se\eral  experiences 
of  the  same  nature,  when  a  supposed  musk-ox  had 
turned  out  on  a  nearer  view  to  be  nothing  but  a  boulder 
amoui^-  the  snudler  stones,  had  prepared  the  traxelers 
for  a  similar  disajipoiutnieut.  lUit  ]irescntl\-  the  two 
objects  were  observed  to  ha\e  chan.i^ed  position.  'I'hey 
were  alive  ;  this  time  there  was  no  mistake  about  it. 
Here  at  last  was  an  ojiportuuity  to  ba^-  fresh  meat  and 
chan_t»e  the  monotony  of  two  months  of  pemmicau  diet. 
Cautioush-  creeping  ujion  the  \-ictims  Lieut.  Peary  fired 
and  had  the  satisfaction  of  brin^in:^'  down  both  a  l)ull 
and  a  cow,  as  well  as  a  \earlin,i;'  calf,  which  had  been 
concealed  from  \iew  behind  the  larger  animals.  Aches 
and   'pains  now  counted   for  nothin_i;-  in  the  eai^er  rush 


•.— .•i.,!.J(S6fc)Ji 


394 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


h, 


'ii 


iMiwanl.  AfkT  rapid'-/  skiiiniii!^-  llicir  i^amc  and  culliui^ 
mil  llir  sirloins  and  choice  morsels  for  lluirown  nsc,  one 
of  the  carcasses  was  sliotildered  and  carried  towards  the 
doj^s.  Tile  latter  were  lyin:^- about  in  a  dispiritc'd  fashion, 
lickini;  their  wonnds  and  bruised  feet,  when  llie  still 
warm  and  reekini^  mass  was  tlirown  amonj^st  them. 
IK're  was  meat,  fresh,  blofxly,  raw  meat.  With  a  howl 
of  delii;ht  the  i)ack  rushed  ni)on  it  and  fell  to,  until  in 
no  \-er\' i^reat  while  a  heaj)  of  bones  was  all  that  was  left. 

In  the  meantime  .\strup  had  found  a  small  i^rass- 
co\-ered  spot,  whose  bright  ^reen  was  dotted  with  Arctic 
(lowers,  the  e\-er-present  p<>])p;.-  anion^  them  ;  he-  had 
spread  tin.  skins  of  the  musk-oxen  and  pnl  up  tin.'  tar- 
]ianliu  as  a  screen  from  tlie  sun,  and  here  upon  this 
sumptuous  couch  he  nudted  his  com])anion  to  stretch 
liis  limbs,  while  1k'  ])roceeded  to  prepare  a  supper  of 
musk-ox  steak.  .Vlon^^side  the  camp  a  little  brook 
murnnired  o\'er  the  stony  liottom  ;  the  twittering-  snow- 
bunting  made  music  pleasant  to  tlie  car  ;  even  a  bum- 
ble-bee was  obserx'ed  hovcrim;-  in  the  warm  sunshine  o\er 
the  nower-s])au,nled  L;rass  plot,  and  the  flies  around  the 
remains  of  the  musk-oxen  were  gathered  in  th.ick  black 
swarms  as  numerous  as  in  onr  own  climate.  To  attempt 
to  move  with  the  dos^s  (.^or^^ed  with  their  recent  hca\-\' 
meal  was  out  of  the  (picstiou  ;  to  lea\e  them  behind 
ecpialK'  so,  and  a  few  hours'  rest  was  therefore  absolutely 
necessary. 

The  march  was  resumed  in  excellent  spirits  by  all  and 
at  last  the  summit  of  the  hij^h  land  was  reached.     It  was 


Ill 


THE  I 'EA  A' ) '  RliL //■:/■  AAV ■/•:/ '/ '/ K hV. 


V)5 


found  to  be  a  rallRT  small  plateau,  it>  furtlKr  ed-r  (kscriid- 
iu.U^  in  a  cliff  4(km)  feel  sheer  down  to  the  sea.  At  the  toot 
of  the  eliff,  llowin,!;-  northward,  was  a  Irmiendons  -lacier 
IweKe  miles  across  and  measnrin.i;  at  least  twent\  around 
the  ])eri])hery  of  its  dischar^in,^  point.  iicNond  the 
glacier  to  the  east  the  cliffs  rose  a^jain,  as  hij^h  as  ou  the 
hither  side,  and  in  Nonic  i)laces  his/her.  In  the  norlh 
was  seen  the  month  of  a  fiord  reaching  from  the  face 
of  the  .i^lacier  hack  into  the  land  in  a  westerl\  direction, 
and  jM-obably  connectin,^-  with  \'ictoria  Inlet.  Looking; 
east  be\-ond  the  .glacier  was  seen  a  ^reat  ba\-  slrtlchiuL; 
east  and  northeast.  The  land  of  its  northern  shore,  as 
well  as  the  land  beyond  the  tiord,  was  obserxed  to  be  tree 
from  snow.  The  northeastern  e.\tremil\-  of  the  Green- 
land continent  had  been  reached.  Greenland  is  an 
island. 

It  was  Jnlv  4,  iS(j2,  and  in  honor  of  the  da\  the  l)a\- 
w;is  called  Independence  Day  ;  and  the  ^reat  glacier, 
AcadeniN-  (ilacier,  in  honor  of  the  Academy  of  Xatund 
Sciences.  .\  cairn  was  built  of  piled-up  stones  ;  within 
was  dejiosited  a  record  i)\-  I.ieut.  l'ear\-,  endorsed  with 
the  usual  recpiest  to  the  finder  to  return  the  same  to 
the  .Secretary  of  the  Xavy.  The  ,^-old-t"rin,i;ed  ,>ilkin 
national  1)anner  which  had  been  presented  to  him  by 
the  acadeniN'  was  fixed  to  the  Ioul;  baml)oo  rod,  which 
the  explorer  carried  throu.i;hont  the  jonrne\-,  and  plant- 
inf;  the  same  upon  the  cairn,  it  was  unfurled — the  tirst 
ila<4-  of  an\-  nation  that  e\er  tloaled  o\er  tlie  eastern 
shores  of  (rreeniand  above  the  seventv-seveuth  parallel. 


!i 


396 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


\ 


Tlif  <hiy  was  furllier  tvlfbrali'd  by  ;i  i)rincfly  feast  in 
Nvliich  a  tliiiiihlcrul  of  l)ran(l\-  for  cacli  of  the  fcastcrs  and 
musk-ox  steak  with  veal  cutlets  of  the  same  species  formed 
a  lea(liti<i^  feature,  and  then  they  rolled  over  011  their  hacks 
and  fell  asleep. 

(  )n  Jul\'  5  the  return  was  heinun  ;  and  1)\-  a  sin- 
t^ndar  coincidence,  on  the  very  day  that  the  explorers 
turned  their  faces  towards  McCormick  Iki)-,  the  relief  ex- 
pedition left  vSt.  Johns  in  the  Kit(\  destined  for  the  same 
point  fnMU  an  opposite  direction.  The  walk  over  the 
stones  to  the  ice-cap  was  a  repetition  of  the  experiences 
of  the  previous  crossinj^,  and,  arrived  on  the  ice,  it  was 
found  necessary  to  rest  two  da\s  in  order  to  iL;i\e  the 
doj^s  an  ()])portunity  to  recuperate  from  the  hard  usage 
they  had  had. 

The  homeward  march  o\er  the  ice-caj)  was  une\-ent- 
ful.  To  avoid  all  i)ossibility  of  again  enctjuntering  the 
dilFicult  ground  at  the  head  of  the  northern  fiords  the 
course  was  shaped  far  inland,  right  o\er  the  hack  of  the 
interior  glacial  mass.  ]\Iuch  of  the  tra\'eling  was  at  the 
high  altitude  of  Sooo  feet  above  sea  level  and  through 
the  clouds,  and  for  two  weeks  the  party  floundered  in 
deep  snow  drifts.  As  the\- approached  nearer  homeward 
all  superfluous  baggage  was  abandoned  and  what  re- 
mained loaded  on  a  single  sled.  The  dog  team  had  been 
reduced  to  five,  all  the  others  having  fallen  \-ictims  to 
their  work,  and  killed  and  fed  to  their  fellows.  A  sail 
rigged  to  the  sled,  and  made  of  the  tarpaulin  covering, 
was  found  u.seful  ;  the  winds,  which  blow  steady  from  the 


liil 


THE  PEARY  A'E/.IEE  EXPEnri lOX. 


.V)7 


inti'rior  in  ;i  dirfL-lioii  prrpnidicular  lo  llu-  niasl-liiic, 
takiiiiL,''  almost  all  llic  strain  fn>ni  thu  (l().i;s  and  at  limes 
eiitiR'l\'  snillciuj;  to  move  the  sled. 

At  le  ,'^4h  familiar  landmarks  lioxe  in  si^i^ht — Dome 
Monntain,  a  j^reat  hammock  between  tlie  inland  ieeand 
the  head  of  MeCormick  I>a\-,  lay  in  the  path.  The 
endea\'or  to  cross  its  coiuex  back  had  to  be  !^i\'en  up 
for  a  time,  nntil  its  snow  snrface,  softened  by  the  sun, 
should  be  frozen  o\er.  After  a  few  hours'  rest  traxeliujj; 
o\-er  it  was  found  ])raeticable.  The  crest  was  <jaiued, 
and  as  he  did  so  Lieut.  Pear\-  saw  a  number  of  dark  ob- 
jects two  miles  olT,  moving;  in  the  (lirection  from  which 
he  was  coming.  Thinkinj;-  it  was  his  own  party,  he 
called  to  .Vstrup  :  ''There,  there,  the  boxs  are  lookinj^ 
for  us,"  and  dischartjed  his  carbine.  The  next  moment 
a  cheer  was  heard  comiui;;-  faintl\-  across  the  snow  field, 
and  another  look  showed  that  the  part\'  numbered  seven 
or  eij^ht.  Realizinj^-  that  it  nnist  be  a  relief  party  from 
.\merica,  Lieut.  Peary  len<^thciied  his  strides  on  his 
snow-shoes  ;  Astru])  was  just  behind,  .gliding  gaily  on  his 
skis,  with  the  dogs,  who  now  needed  no  urging,  on  a  dead 
run  down  the  slope — and  soon  the  explorers  were  among 
the  partv  of  Prof.  Heilprin,  shaking  hands,  exchanging 
greetiiiys  and  received  with  jo\ful  congratulations. 


H> 


ciiArriCR   XIV. 


'i; 


Till';    "Kitk"   in  'l"i<iiriii,i;.--Tiii;    I'i.akn    Takiv   on   Im.i.iu  ii-.i,I) 
Ciui.i'.— Till':   Ri;i,ii;i'    I'akts     in   Cami-.— A    Mikcihson   Soimi 

(il.ACll'.K.  — ni';AVV  C.AI.IS  AMI   Rnl(,l|    l',  \  l'l';u  1 1  ;Ni:i':S.  ~.M  U.    X'l'.K- 
ll()i;i-l''    MlSSINC.  — I'Kl.rAKATItlNS    M)K    Sl.AULII. 

UNTIL  after  tin.-  return  of  Lieut.  IVary  ami  Mi, 
Astrup  from  the  inland  ice  the  experiences  of  the 
members  of  the  relief  [)art\',  t!iou<,;h  full  of  excitinj;- 
incidents,  liad  yet  been  altoj^^ether  most  pleasant,  and 
accompanied  b\'  uniform  ,l;(io(1  fortune  and  no  suspicion 
of  actual  (lauiL^er.  liut  on  Sunda\  imniediateK-  succeed- 
inii;-  that  momentous  e\ent,  that  is  to  say,  on  August 
7,  the  A7/('  twice  made  an  effort  to  _L;et  herself  into 
serious  trouble,  and  each  time  nearly  succeeded.  The 
da\-  t)pened  ([uictly  enou.^h,  scarcely  a  rijiple  disturbed 
the  waters  of  the  ba\-,  and  the  weather  was  uncomforta- 
bh'warm.  About  dinnertime,  however,  a  stroii,L;-  breeze 
came  up  from  a  glacier  \alley  at  the  head  of  the  ba\'. 
which  soon  reached  the  proportions  of  a  small  .^ale,  and 
caused  the  Kite  to  kick  up  her  heels  like  a  nouii!:;'  and 
frisky  colt,  and  before  lou.^'  to  start  landward,  dragginji^ 
her  anchor.  lH)r  some  unexplained  reason  this  was  not 
noticed  by  the  crew  until  she  was  within  dan<;erous 
proximity  to  the  rocky  shore.      Captain  Pike,  who  had 

398 


THE  rEARY  RELIEF  EX  PEP  IT  ION. 


\m 


been  (iiiiftly  rcadiiij.'  in  lii-^  cabin,  wlieii  ai)i)ii'^r(l  of  llic 
tiouhlf,  pmnipUN  VdM.'  lo  llu- inKT^cncx',  and  iiiaiKeiuivd 
to  j;c  t  her  inlit  (kii)  waUr.  After  a  srwiv  strnj^fj^k-  he 
succeetk'd  in  doinj;'  so.  This  done,  he  onk-red  the 
anchor  np,  and  dcchuxd  his  intention  of  sleainin,^  ahont 
in  the  upper  end  of  the'  ha\-  nntil  the  time  canu'  to 
retnrn  to  the  Red  Cliff  Ilonse.  Accordinj^h  ,  the  Kile 
wasi^ot  nnck'r  way,  but  she  had  scarcel\- reached  the  mid- 
dle of  the  l>ay  liefore  she  ran  her  nose  two  feet  into  a  mud 
bank,  knocked  off  a  larj^je  piece  of  her  falsi'  keel,  and 
careened  nntil  it  was  almost  im])ossible  to  keep  a  footinj^ 
on  deck.  Inn'tunatel)-  the  tide  was  risini^,  so  that  she 
was  not  kept  in  this  nneonifortal)!'  position  more  than  an 
hour  ;  but  this  aunoyiuL;  e\ent  lollowin^  so  closely  on 
the  other  was  too  much  for  Captain  I'ike,  and  as  soon  as 
he  had  clear  wati'r  under  his  keel,  lie  sent  the  vessel 
down  the  ba\-  at  full  speei'i  and  ne\cr  stopped  her  nntil 
opposite  the   Red  Cliff  Ilonse. 

Two  days  later  Ivieut.  l'ear\-  started  with  Mrs.  I'eary, 
Mr.  \'erhoefr  and  some  ICskimos  for  the  head  of  lu^le- 
field  (lulf,  at  which  place  ]\Ir.  \'erhoeff  left  them  and 
went  on  that  prix'ate  excursion  to  Roliertson  l!a\', 
wdiich,  in  the  oi)inion  of  nearly  eeer\'  member  of  the 
two  parties,  terminated  in  his  (k'ath.  The  da\'  followini^ 
the  Rearxs'  and  \'erhoclT's  (k'parture  all  of  the  members 
of  the  relief  e\j)e(liiion,  save  one,  proceeded  to  the 
entrance  of  In<.;leriekl  (iulf,  where  they  camped  for  three 
days,  huntin<i^  _y;ame,  f^atlicrinj:^  botanical  specimens  and 
studying-  the  movements  of  glaciers.     This  trip  was  not 


I 


i  » 


llh 


4fX) 


LV  .IRC77C  SHAS. 


\M 


\ 


as  pk'asanl  as  it  mii^Iit  I'-'w  l)eTii,  for  during'  almost  the 
entire  period  tlie  campers  weie  treated  either  to  nast\ , 
cold  raii'.s  or  liea\-\'  snow,  wliieli  melted  as  fast  as  it 
fell.  An  exciting  walrns  hnnt  an<l  the  \ie\v  of  a  re- 
markably handsome  glacier,  hii\ve\-er,  wt  re  ample  eom- 
pensalion  for  aii\'  personal  di>eoniforls  whieh  were 
suffered. 

'I'his  glacier  was  e\-identl\'  one  of  the  receding  l-^pc. 
It  was  about  three  miles  wide  and  llowed  into  the  \'al]e\' 
l)i.'tweeu  two  hills  of  white  sandstone,  throU'^h  whieh 
basalt  had  thrust  itself  in  ,L;reat  s])urs,  towers  and  ])iu- 
u.a<,  les.  The  entire  \-alle\'  shoxwd  marks  of  i^laeial 
action,  i)ro\-in'^  that  the  !iii!_;iil\-  ri\-er  of  ice  ha  I  once 
extended  down  its  whole  len_;lh.  TIr-  fice  of  the  ^hi- 
cier  is  fulK  loo  fei't  Iul;!!,  ai.d  curws  outward  from  the 
sides  in  sliape  like  a  fui,  the  outer  boumlaries  of  which 
mu-t  nuMsurr  fulK'  eiL;ht  miles.  Like  a  hn^e  wall  of 
marble  it  rosL'  fic.m  the  \-alley,  which  it  had  torn  up  into 
a  pkice  of  terrible  (Ksol.ition,  the  debris  ol  the  shiwred 
rock  sides  bearing  evidence  of  the  treuu'udi  )us  weight  and 
fcrci-  that  had  ground  iiiem  literally  to  powder.  Most 
of  the  ici.'  couiposiu!.;  tin.-  ^laciel"  was  of  ,i  ]iure  w!iite 
color,  with  striations  of  bliu'  and  ,nra\',  ])Ut  some  parts  of 
il  had  wa\in;^  lines  of  yellow,  brown  ami  black,  jusl  like 
llie  pri/ed  marbles  of 'renuessee.  I'rom  the  summit  aial 
t!iroUL;h  the  pot  holes  slr(.'ams  of  watei'  poured  into  a  lar^e 
water-course  which  lollows  the  iVout  of  the  i^lacier. 
These  streams  h.ixe  worn  the  ici\  which  is  .dniost  as  h.ird 
as  rock,  into  ,^feal  Ihimes  and  polished  tluin  into  forms 


Ji 


THE  ri'.AR  } '  RELIEF  EXrEniTION.         401 

(M\i^rt.-al  1)u;ml\- ami  in  color  likf  Mrxicaii  onyx.  In  oik- 
|iIk\'  iIk-  la'.i;*.'  \vaUr-cour--i.-  lia>  uiiiK  "ciil  llu-  i;laci(.T, 
loMiiiiiL;  a  larm'  rawni  iiilo  wliicli  Iwo  of  iI-k-  |)a;1\' 
Weill  tor  a  >liorl  (lislaiict.- ;  but  iIk-  walir  ilri]>i)iii,i^  fioiii 
ilk-  roof,  and  llic-  iVrlin^  llial  tlir  ina>-  nii^lil  fall  at  an\- 
nioiiu'iit,  niaiK-  tin.'  ])la(.\'  too  iin])k-a>;uil  for  tlimi  to  iv- 
inain  \-i.r\    loin'. 


uul 


Jim.  ^ 


1  Ai'l-:  111     \    1  .Kil  M,  wii  r.i.  \(.- 1  i;k. 

Tin.'  caiii])iiiL;  pailx  irlunud  to  Mi(.'orniii,'k  I'.av 
sliortl\-  after  iiii(lniu;lit  of  .\n,mi>l  i  _>.  I'.,irl\  011  tlir  fol- 
lowiiiL:  ila\  Mr.  (iili-^oii  (.'anK-  l>a(,'k  from  a  limit  in  tlu- 
I'iw  (ilaeirr  \'allr\\  a  drjirrN^ioii  in  tin.-  liill>  o;i  the 
north   si(K    of    McCoiniitk     Hav     iirar    it>    luail,  uliicli 


!fli 


II' 


402 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


ext(MKls  ncarh'  to  Rolicrtson  I'.ay.  I-'or  llic  first  time  it 
was  now  learned  by  the  members  of  the  relief  expedi- 
tion that  Mr.  \'erhoelT  had  separated  from  the  party 
of  Ivieut.  and  Mrs.  I'eary  in  In,<;lefield  (inlf.  It  was 
ascertained  that,  three  da\s  Ix-fore,  Mr.  \'erh(je(T  had 
appeared  on  the  shores  of  McCormick  Uay  and  informed 
;\Ir.  (iibson  that  he  was  ^^oinj;  up  the  valley  to  collect 
minerals,  and  would  be  ^one  two  days.  He  then  went 
his  wa\',  but  six  hours  later  returned  nne\i)ectedly 
and  told  Mr.  (iibson  that  as  his  absence  would  prob- 
ably be  four  d.'As  instead  of  two,  not  to  wait  for  him, 
but  to  return  to  the  Red  Cliff  House,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  that  time  to  send  him  a  kajak  and  lie  would  come 
home  in  that.  .\s  Mr.  \'erhoeff,  it  was  said,  was  not 
very  exjiert  in  the  manayeViieiit  of  the  nati\e  bt)at,  and 
as  it  is  not  considered  .safe  to  traverse  McCormick  Hay 
in  that  kind  of  craft,  instead  of  complyiu,^-  with  his  wish, 
Mr.  (iibson  on  Tuesday,  August  16,  with  Mr.  IJryant 
and  three  iCskimos,  lupia,  Onolka  and  Koko,  took  the 
Faith  and  went  after  him. 

That  night  the  storm  of  the  previous  week  which  had 
begun  clearing  away  on  Monday  morning,  and  had  en- 
tirely ceased  b\-  Tuesda\'  afternoon,  returned  and  began 
raging  with  redoubled  fur\-,  coutiuuing  all  day  Wednes- 
day. .\s  Lieut,  and  Mrs.  I'eary  were  aliead\-  more  than 
a  day  overdue  from  Inglefield  (iulf,  considerable  alarm 
was  felt  for  their  safet\-,  and  fears  were  also  entertained  for 
Mr.(iibson  and  Mr.  I'rNant,  the  jieriod  for  whose  return 
liad  likewise  passed.      l'',arl\-  on  the  tollowing   morning, 


^TK    Miiiiw    \\ii  !>\\ii:i.,    Till-;  icskimo  i\ti:ki'i<i.it;k. 


IK. 


I 

t 

(. 

}/ 

f 


rilE  PEAR ) '  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.         4(^5 

liowi-Vfi-,  th(>u,<;li  the-  oalc  still  coiilimud,  the-  two  latttT 
rctuniul  without  Mr.  WTliocff,  and  late  the  same  nij^lit, 
Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Peary  also  came  hack,  lia\in,^-  ])eeii 
compelled  to  leave  their  boat  near  Cape  Cleveland  and 
to  make  the  rest  of  the  wa\-  to  the  Red  ClilT  House 
over  the  stony  beach.  Uoth  i)arties  had  \i'>\v^\\  experi- 
ences to  relate,  particularly  that  of  Messrs.  Cibson  and 
I5r\ant,  who  liad  supplied  themselves  with  but  little 
food,  and  had  nothinj^  l)ut  their  l)oat  to  shelter  them  from 
the  cold  rain  and  the  fierce  .^^ale,  besides  which  thev  ])rett\- 
thoroughly  exhausted  themselves  in  their  fruitles.s 
.search  for  Mr.  \'erhoelT. 

It     had    been     expected    that,    l)y     Au>;ust      17,     all 
of  the  belonoiu<;s  of  Lieut.    Peary    and   of   the    mem- 
bers   of    the     North    (ireenland    Ivxi)edition     would    be 
on    l)oard    the    A'/A',  so   that  a  departure    from   McCor- 
mick  P)ay  homeward    cotdd    be    made  on   the   followiu.i; 
day,    but     Mr.     W'rhoeff's     continued    and     mvsteriou.s. 
absence,  of  course,  compelled   the  abandonment  of  this 
intention.      This  absence  had   now  become  so  prolonged 
that  both  Lieut.  Pear\'s  i)art\- and  the  relief  partv  became 
seriousK    alarmed    for    his    safetx ,    the    "lore  especiall\-, 
since    it   was    known   that   he   was   iuMifncieiilh    clad   to 
endure  the  bad  weathei-  which  had  been  piexailiii",  and 
since   Mr.  Cibsoii   and    Mr.   Ilr\ant,  with    the  aid  of  the 
three  ICskinios,  had    not    i)et,n  a.ble  to  find   aii\-  traces  of 
him  in  the  ])]ace  he  was  supposed    to  be.       It  was  there- 
fore   resoh-ed    to    make   a    systematic    search    for    him, 
which    was   accordini;ly   be.^un    at   once   and   continued 


'■y^^rT''wvm^m'i^flll^ 


i, 


'i    ; 


' 


h    I 


W' 


dt: 


406 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


almost  without  intermission  for  sc\cn  days  and  nij^hts. 
In  this  hunt  the  Peary  party,  the  relief  expedition, 
and  such  of  the  crew  of  the  Kile  as  could  1)e  spared, 
participated,  besides  nine  ICskimos,  who  were  stinni- 
lated  to  extra  exertion  by  the  offer  of  rifles  and  other 
articles  valuable  to  them. 


■J 


■:  ilf 


f 

I 


.;! 


\  ^  \\ 


u 

1      : 

fc 


1, 

1, 

l- 


CHAPTKR    XV. 

The  .Sharcii  kor  Mk.  Vkkiiuiu'i-.— llow  rr  was  C()Ni>rcTi;i).--I'ivK 
Cir.AcnCR    Val,m;v.— Tkaci:s     ov    tiiic    Missinc,    Man.  — Iai- 

DKNCKS   OI'    HIS    DKATII. — AliANDO.NMIvNT   OF   THK   SKARCH. 

AS  a  beginnini>;,  Lieut.  Peary,  ^Ir.  (Mbsoii,  Mr. 
Astrup  and  four  Kskiinos  rowed  to  the  lM\e 
Glacier  \'alley  and  made  an  exploration  of  it  to  tlie 
north.  While  they  did  this,  the  AV/c  was  taken  to 
Robcrt.son  Uay  with  the  relief  part)'.  Dr.  Cook  and 
five  Eskimos,  to  search  the  south  side  and  work  o\er 
towards  Five  Glacier  Valle\-,  where  the  first  party  h.id 
been  despatched.  The\-  first  made  incpiiriLS  of  the 
family  of  Eskimos  livini^-  at  Ii^loo  I)uhome\-  without 
learnin<^  auythin;^  of  Mr.  W-rhoeff,  and  then  dixided 
into  two  parties,  one  under  Dr.  Cook  and  the  oth.er 
under  Professor  Heilprin.  Ivich  made  an  exploration 
of  one  of  tile  \-alleys  leadiui;  towards  the  ice-eap  on  the 
south,  which  was  continued  until  earl\-  the  next  niorn- 
inj^-,  the  AVA'  meanwhile  steamin.t;-  slowly  alon,^;  the 
shores,  Cajitain  Pike  keeping  the  sttam  wliistk'  blowin,!.; 
at  rei^idar  intervals,  'i'he  three  partitas  on  shore  crossi-d 
each  other  before  returning  to  iluir  respectiw  >>lartin:^ 
points,  and  co\'ered  a  tract  <if  terrilor\  fully  i'[vv  miles 
wide  and  ten  miles  lon;^,  but  wilhoul  learning  au}  lliing 
of  the  youu!,;  mineralo,L;ist. 

407 


■  t  * 

11 

i: 


.1  ! 


\i 


If 

if: 


't 


40S 


/A^  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


Later  in  the  niorninjj;,  the  shi])'s  civw  liavin<^  kept  a 
sharp  lookout  while  the  relief  party  took  a  short  sleej), 
the  Kite  was  taken  onee  more  to  MeCorniick  Wax  and 
stt)ppe(l  at  its  head,  where  Lient.  Peary  was  met  with, 
l-'roni  him  then  were  learned  the  circumstances  under 
which  Mr.  \'erhoeff  went  on  his  probably  fatal  journe\-. 
It  appears  that  while  in  Inj^lefield  (iulf,  Mr.  \'crhoeff 
asked  i)ermissi()U  to  <^o  to  the  Imvc  Cdacier  Valley  for 
minerals,  sayinj;'  that  he  would  recpiire  but  two  (bus  for 
the  work.  Knowin*;;'  that  the  trip  proposed  was  a  safe 
and  very  short  one,  and  that  Mr.Ciibson  was  there  hunt- 
inj:(,  Lieut.  Peary  consented  provided  he  would  jjromise 
to  return  at  the  time  stated.  Mr.  \'erlioeff  then  started, 
takin«;^  with  him  three  pounds  of  iiennnican,  and  a 
revolver,  with  fifty  cartrid<4es,  besides  his  <^eolo<^ical 
hatchet  and  a  bag',  and  a  few  hours  later  met  Mr.  (xibson, 
as  related  in  the  last  chapter. 

F'rom  Lieut.  Peary,  the  relief  ])arty  learned  that 
neither  he  or  those  with  him  had  found  any  traces  of  the 
missing  man.  The  anxiety  for  his  safet>-  now  ])ecaine 
greater  than  ever  ;  a  general  consultation  was  held  and 
})lans  perfected  for  another  and  systematic  search.  In 
conformity  with  the  plan  which  was  adopted,  Lieut.  Peary 
once  more  entered  the  lM\e  ( ilacier  \'alle\-.  Taking, 
twelve  Eskimos,  besides  his  entire  part\-,  except  Henson 
who,  with  INIrs.  PearN',  remained  at  the  Red  Cliff  House, 
he  extended  them  in  a  straight  line  clear  across  the 
valley  from  side  to  side,  and  advanced  with  them  step 
by    step  along-   its  entire  length,   and   over  the    ice-cap 


■(! 


Tm:  PEA  R  } '  REL  lEE  EX  I  'F.I  V  Tl(  W. 


4(19 


and  tal)k--lan(l  to  Robertson  I5a\',  t-acli  man  caivfnlly 
searching'  tlic  i^ronnd  f-ir  traces  of  the  missing  ont-  as 
Ik-  went.  vSo  minutely  and  thorou.^hly  was  this  (h;ne 
that  a  knife  and  handkercliief,  lost  1)\-  one  of  the  parts 
the  year  before,  was  found,  but  nothint^of  Mr.  WrlioelT 
was  observed. 

At  the  same  time  while  the  lVar\-  i)arty  were  doin^  this 
the  members  of  the  relief  i)arty  made  search  of  a  lar.i^e 
•glacier  at  the  head  of  McCormick  IJay  on  its  southern 
side.  This  was  started  in  the  afternoon,  and  was  not 
concluded  initil  the  next  !norninj;-,  and  while  the  ])art\- 
was  out  the  thermometer  fell  below  freezing  point  and  a 
heavy  snow  storm  bej^an,  lastin,^-  for  nian\"  horns. 

The  _ijlacier  explored   has  a  motion  of  sexeral    feet  a 
and  as  it  extends  some  distance   into    the  ba\-,  tli;it 


■A\ 


porti 


on  o 


f   it 


was 


brok 


en   u])  into   terrible   cre\asses  of 


j^reat  width  and  depth,  and  the  ice  comijosinj^'  it  ;;t 
that  j")lace  hea\-e(l  and  jjiled  up,  until  it  resembled  a 
j^roup  of  white  marble  mountains,  l-'urther  up,  the 
ice  was  hununock\',  with  little  lakes  and  streams  of 
water,  but  there  were  few  crevasses,  and  these  not  of  a 
ver\'  dan;^erous  character.  The  glacier  is  se\en  or  ei^ht 
miles  loni;,  and  three  or  four  bnuieh  glaciers  tinpt\'  into 
it,  but  without  the  usual  trtuu-ndous  teariui;  up.  the 
upheavals  i^iviniL;-  the  main  body  the  a])pearance  of 
frozen  sea  waxes. 

This  <j^lacier  was  searched,  becausL-  it  was  thou,i,dit 
possible  that,  by  chance,  Mr.  \'erhoelT  mii^ht  have 
returned     to     Mr.     (iibson's     camp,     and      hudin^      it 


a*; 


I; 
''  i 


yi 


410 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS 


iU 


i 


ahaiiduiied  and  no  boat  left  there  for  him,  had  decided  to 
make  his  way  to  tlie  Red  ClifT  Mouse  b\-  land.  If  so,  this 
body  of  ice  was  in  his  path  homeward.  What  made  it 
moi\'  i)robable  that  he  should  have  determiufd  on  takin<; 
so  dan.nerous  a  route  was,  that  he  had  accomplished  the 
feat  of  erossiiij^  tliL' same  i^lacier  (lurin<4  the  winter,  when 
it  was  co\(.red  (k-ep  with  snow. 

When  the  relief  i)art\-  returned  to  the  ship  for  sleep, 
Captain  I'ike  sent  his  fust  officer,  Mr.  Murj)!!)-,  with 
sevend  of  tin.'  crew  to  (.wplorc  IIr'  table-land  on  the  east 
of  tlie  glacier,  as  well  as  tin.'  ^'or^e  leadiuj^  to  the  ice- 
cap. These  remained  out  until  e\enin,s4,  when  Profe.s.sor 
Heilpriu  look  auollu'r  ])art\  and  explored  the  north  side 
of  the  same  glacier  tlu\'  had  tra\"eled  oxer  the  ni^ht  before 
while  Mr.  Meehan  with  two  uku  made  a  close  search 
of  the  easterl\  shore  of  McCormick  Day,  from  thence 
towards  the  Red  Cliff  House,  a  distance  of  nine  miles, 
the  remainder  ha\in)L;  been  pre\ionsl\-  co\en-d.  Neither 
])arly  returned  milil  the  next  morning,  vSunday,  Au<^ust 
21.  .Shortl\-  after  they  came  back,  Lieut.  l'ear\-  too 
returned  from  his  (.xploration  of  ihe  iMve  ( ilacier  \'allev. 

I'ntil  now,  the  fifth  da\  of  the  search,  but  little 
thou.^hl  had  been  entertained  by  aii\-  one  of  a  fatal 
accident  haxiuL;-  happened  to  Mr.  Wrhoeff,  but  the  care- 
ful exploiatiiui  of  the  lM\e  (dacier  \'alle\-,  of  tlie  .^lacier 
at  the  liL-ad  of  McCormick  Day  and  its  apjiroaches,  as 
well  as  the  south  shores  of  the  ba\-  to  the  Red  Cliff 
House,  without  any  results,  causeil  the  gravest  couclii- 
sious  l<i  be  drawn,  and  ;i  belief  that   he  w.is  dead   be^an 


5. 

3c 


I        t 


fit    ' 
i 


THE  PEARY  REIJI-.E  EX/'E/^ITION. 


411 


to  be  c'XjJivssc-d.  XiaitIIr'K'ss,  the  scarcli  w.is  |)U>1k(K  if 
anNtliin.L;,  (.'vcii  iiiori.'  \iguR)Usly.  Mr.  Aslrup  and  Mr. 
(lihsoii,  with  soiiK'  of  tilt'  I'^skiiiios,  wvw  scut  oiuc  iiiori.' 
tlin)U,i;li  till'  V'wc  Cilacirr  \'alk\,  with  (lirLctioiis  to 
traxi'l  all  tht-  way  to  the  shons  of  Rohi-rtsoii  r.a\  and 
c.xpUMV    the    approaches     thereto     thorou,L;hl\ .        Lieut. 


IC:,lii:KC,    OFI-    K()IiI-;RTS()N    HAV. 

Pear\-,  with  Dr.  Cook  and  the  remainder  of  the  Ivski- 
nios,  took  the  /■'(u't/i  and  I'xplored  the  north  shore  of 
McCorniick  I'.ax-  to  Cape  Robertson,  and  the  Miuth  shore 
oi  Robertson  Ray  to  a  i^ivat  glacier  whieh  empties 
into  it  at  its  head.  Then  the  AV/r  was  once  more  taken 
to  the  .same  ba\',  stopping  oidy  a  short  time  at  the  \\ij([ 
ClifF  Mouse  in  order  that  a  statement  of  the  ill  success 


-p- 


IN  ARiUC  Sl.AS. 


i: 


(tf  llu'  >(.;inli,  lluis  far,  iiii.i^lit  he  iiKi<l<-  In  Mi>.  I'larw 
111  R<il)i.  rl>nii  I'.av  lanil.  \\a\\  \\a>  iiul  ~\\\A  laki  n  on 
hoard,  and  Uuai,  all  liauds  hriiiu;  WDrn  oiil  fioiii  iiiaiu 
liotiis"  (.■oiiliiuiou.N  work,  a  .shoil  period  was  laktii  ;or 
sk'i']). 

l'",arl\'  oil  llu-  tollowiu,:^  iiioiaiiiiL;,  llir  >i\lli  da\-  of 
ihr  .'-(.•ari'li,  il  w.i--  r(.•■^o]\■^.ll  to  i-Nplorc  llu-  .^nal  ;;lai'i(.r 
al  llu-  luad  of  Rohiilsoii  Hay,  I.iiiil.  IVaiv'^  [larlv 
lakiii,^;  llu- South  side-  and  I'rofissni  IKilpiin  tin.'  iiorlli 
si(k'.  'l'Iii>  wasat  ii'.,^i'.  Ahoiil  ilirei.'  Iioiir-^  lalir  tlit.' 
Iw.i  ])arti^s  nut  in  llu'  iiiiddlr  of  llu'  i^nal  ^ku-itr.  and 
Lic'il.  IV'arx's  >  ad  face  piisam-d  iiiiwc  li-oiiic  iu\v>.  In 
.1  W\\  words  111  rrlaU'd  thai  trai\>  had  hern  fouial  h\ 
Mr.  (iih-.oii  of  Mr.  Wrhorff.  which  indie  tied  that  iin- 
lorliinale  inan'.-  alnio^l  c-ertain  death.  The  lirsl  si,L;ns 
were  foolpriiiN,  nndo'.ihledK  Mi'.  \"erlioi.'fl''>,  and,  aeeord- 
in;.;  to  llu-  nnaniiiioiis  ojiinioii  of  the  Iv-^kiinos  who 
tolioW'ed  ihein  up,  tlie\-  had  hi-eil  liiadi-  oil  or  ahoill  the 
>aine  (ki\-  he  had  heeii  la>l  seen  hy  Mr.  Ciiljsoii.  'riu->e 
t'lolprinls  led  aloii!^  llie  --oulh  ^Iioie  of  Roherlsoii  Il.ix-, 
and  wi-re  soinelinies  iinprinled  in  innd  .nid  soiiu-linu-s 
on  llu-  foot  ice.  .\  li-w  leel  l)elow  llie  point  where  the 
south  j^ori^e  l)etween  ihetdifis  and  the  ,L;kH'iL-r  al  the  liead 
of  the  l)a\-  opened  into  the  shore  of  llu-  hax'  itself,  tlu-re 
were  louiid  iiealK'  jiiled  on  a  rocd^  a  nnnihc-r  of 
minerals  wliicli  hore  tin.-  in. irks  of  a  hanniK-r  a: 
and  tlure  the  hlue  tVom  a  corned  heef  or  ]k-'  cm 
can.  I'.eside  lliein  were  .'ilso  found  a  small  sera])  oi  !ue 
paper,   ])ossil)l\-    torn    from   the   same   can,   and   a  small 


mi^  i^i 


T> 


r 


(O 


Hi  ? 


h 


I 

i  t! 


Till-:  PEARY  Ri:i.n:i-  i:xrEnrnoN. 


4 '5 


pic'cc-  of  slrill,l,^     Just  l)i\(.i 
ol    stor.cs,  sand,    imid    and 


id  IS  a  slioil  l)ul  strip  iiioiiiid 


U'r.    wllU'it     liil    tn     llu 


M'lLIC 


al)(i\  (.■. 


II 


lit-  a 


PpauiitlN  Ml.  \\  iIi(K  re  had  attiiupti-d  to 
cliiul),  l)ut  had  slipped  hacd^  to  thi-  hasr,  N-r  ihnc-  wriv 
marks  in  iIu-  mass  which  indicati-d  this,  'i'o  ihr  ri^hl 
was  aiiolhtr  slo])r  to  thi-  -<-r-i-  not  so  dirUcnlt  ot"  ascxait. 
Just  ahow  this  Mr.  WiIkhIFs  loot>t(.p>  wtu-  a^ain 
idcntilk-d,  an  1  \\cw  and  thtii-  out-  was  foiiiid  Kadin-  for 
souir  ih'.-^tauiv  ahiu-  the  -or^v  W-'-Av  a  stnaui,  and 
th(.ii  up  thr  >i(k-  of  the  soutli  hitrral  nioraim  towards 
an  awlid  crc\asM-.  and  hin-  all  tracts  of  thr  inis'-iuL^  man 
Were  lost. 

Ill  spitr  ol    tlii>  (K]ii\ssin.-  luws,  search  waMontiiiiud 
with  a\idit\,   Lieut.   l\'ar\-  and   tlioM-  with  him   cro»in.i;- 
the  tracks  of  the  Ileilpriu  part\    to  the  north  ^idi-  where 
tlie\   madi-  a  loui.;  and  canful  e\amination  of  the   -or^e 
niiinin,^  east  and  west.      Tlu-   otlu  r   parl\    picke<l    their 
way    hetWL-eii    and   arouml    nniueiou-.  cre\asses    to    tin- 
centre  ot   tile  ,!^lacier  and  thence  up  to  it->  iuiiclion    with 
a  lar,L;e  hodyof  ici-  which  llowed  into  it  from  the   uoilh. 
where  the  .L;ori;es  runilin-  ea>t    and    uoilh     were    clo^eh 
.i^oiie  o\-er.      Retreatin-  from  thi-  place  the  pait\  worktd 
their  wa\    little  h\-    little    towanl    the    lower    part    of  ihe 
south  side.      <  )ii  ai-i-ouiit  ol'  the  increa>in-    numher    and 
liad  character  of  the  cre\■asse-^  a>   the  di-idiar-iiiL;    ]ioint 
<tl    the  -lacier   wa-    appi-oai-hcd,  thi-    la-k    was    ,,nl\    ac- 
i-(«ui]ili.slied  atUr  main  hour-.'  painful  work.        \t  hii-th, 
howe\er,  till-  south  .L^or-e  was  ccitm-   iipim    and   junction 
made  with  Mr.  Cihs,.!!,   Mi.    .\-.tnii)  and    Dr.  Cook. 


^PKil 


Ukt 


416 


AV  ARCTIC  SI-.AS. 


Ii» 


Ml 


i 


This  L;l;u'iiT,  whii'li,  lioiii  (.win  iiidicalioii,  Ii;ul 
clainu'd  a  litiniaii  sacrifux-,  is  a  ri'iiiarkabK'  mik-  in  mam- 
ways.  IniiKisin^  in  its  dwn  body,  it  is  snrronndril  1)\- 
sciMUTy  nnc\ani]il(.-(l  in  (in-t-nland  for  ijictnrcscpu-  fra- 
tnri-s  and  ,i;ran(k  nr.  It  c-ni|>lits  diixTtl)  into  tlu-  luad 
of  Kolirrtson  lia) ,  wlinx-  tlif  granite- rocks  wliicdi  liound 
it,  crinisonrd  by  liclR-ns,  tower  in  j^rt^at  peaks  and  pin- 
nacles to  lici.nlits  of  more  tlian  .juoo  k-ct,  and  where 
cliffs  show  nnhroken  fronts  for  a  thon>an(l  or  more  feet 
sheer  fmn)  the  water's  eij.^e. 

The  glacier  is  e\idently  a  rapidly  mo\in,L;  one,  and 
wl'.ere  it  pInn.L;(.s  into  the  bax'  shows  a  wall  of  ice  nearly 
if  not  (piite  100  feet  hi.i^h,  broken  into  conntless  ja^^ed 
confi<;nrations.  Its  total  length  from  the  iie\e  basin, 
into  which  the  inland  ice  pours  the  sn])])h-  for  its 
sustenance,  is  ])erhaps  eii^ht  miles,  and  its  width  at  its 
most  ''xteuiled  part  fiw  miles,  while  its  dischar^iu!^ 
])()int  is  not  more  than  three  in  a  strai;^ht  line  and  fixe 
in  its  arc. 

Into  the  main  stream  three  or  four  ^jlaciers  of  more 
than  ordinar\-  size  empty  at  almost  regular  distances 
;il)art.  teariui^  it.  np  into  wild  confusion  for  man\-  hun- 
dred yards.  .\t  the  juncture  of  one  of  these  arms  and 
the  ])rincipal  glacier  there  rises  a  nia.L;iiificent  unnalak, 
or  mo\inlain  jieak,  projectiuL;  abow  the'  eternal  snow 
and  ice'.  The'  '(a^.x-  of  this  nunatak  is  broken  and 
seamed  with  nunie'roi's  ledges  where  \e'L;etation  has 
^aine'd  a  foothold  to  a  surprisin,^  e'Ntent.  .\bo\e  thiek 
car[)ets  of  j^reen  moss,  dandelions,  poteiitilla>,  buttercups 


V"'. 


IjtetusSMutaMaHW 


rill-:  /'/-.ih')-  A' /■:/./ /■:/.-  i:.\i'/:nriior. 


4'7 


and  i.o,,i„\s  ,v>u,l  lik,.  ,!,■,,,,>  of  ,.,,1,1  ,„,  ,,,„.,„i,,, 
Ann.no-  tlinu  uvu-  nuniv  ..Hkt  Houvis  nu.stiv  nii- 
faniiliar,  l.ui  tlu-  Pm/uu  nr  wl.iulau-  .^ra»,  aii-l  tlu- 
cliickuvc-.l  M.iik-.l  uilli  tluir  familiar  Mi..\v-uliitr  1,1,..- 
><>nis  aiiioiiM  tlic  Aivlir  Mran-rrs. 

TIk-  Ik'.I  ..f  tlR.  vallrv  .,vrr  uliidi  the  main  -larirr 
n..\vs  is  c-vi<lrntlv  nf  an  tiudulaliii.t;  natu.v.  f,,r  llirnn^I,. 
«>ul  its  riuiiv  k,,nth  tlu-  ice-  is  in  hills  an.l  ri.l.^c^,  R->nlt- 
iii.^  in  tiviiK-nd.,!,.  cTc-vas>cs  rxtui.lin-  in  cvctn  diivc- 
ti.m,  which,  as  the, liM-ha,-in^p„inti>  .varludJuoMiK- 
so  KtniRTous  and  awful  that  the  iev  .„.t  l.n.kc-u  stands  i„ 
•;>'i:mn.s,.  o.nrs  and  rid-c-s,  ..vct  and,  ani.,n,^  which  n.. 
niaa  could  po.ssibh-  pass. 


These    crc\asscs 


■lie     of    unknown    di'pth,     reacliin- 


l-'--''';d.Iv  t,,  the  bottom  of  the  . glacier  a  hundred  or  ni.,re 
l-M,elow  the  surface.      They  are  the  more-   treacherous 
•■"id  dan-eroirs  from  the  unusual  unnd.er  of  suou- I.rid-es 
which  span  them.      These  sm.w  l.rid.^es  cover  the  tojn.f 
an-evasse.  liidin.^  it   from  view  and,  havin.^    almost   the 
same  color  as  the  al.uttin,^  ice,  appear  s,,Ii,l  an.l  safe  to 
stq.upou.       It    is   oulv  the    trained   eve    that  can  distin- 
.^tiish    their    ^:i.^htlv   whiter    tint,  and    a    thruM    < 
alpenstock  will  reveal  tluir  dan.^c  n.us  character.      Thc-sc 
siKAv   l.rid.^c^s   mav  be   a    foot   thick   or  tlu•^   ma-,   !,<•  six 
iVel,  but  thcv  are  all  np,alh    pcrihMis.      So,  ..er'or  late- 
tlK'  <.uf.,rtunale  ul,,.  attempts  to  travcrM-  then,  mu.t  n,. 
tlnon.^h,  and  then,  unles.  he  is  ii,.,l  bv  ,M,.pe  to  ,.  cm- 
iKUiion,  there-  is  no  p.,ssible-   chance  ..f  him   cscapin,,^   a 
lloirible  de.ilh. 


Ill 


I 


t     r 


iSBtm 


J  '; 

:    f 


4i,S 


LV  AKCT/C  S/-:.\S. 


i 


It  was  to  llir  wiirsl  ])()ssil)k'  s])i)t  in  tlu-  whole  s^lacicr, 
wluTL-  llif  icf  SL-LiiK'd  lo  haw  laiu  mil  and  lorn  into 
thousands  npon  ihon^and^  of  iVai^nKnt^,  that  thr  foot- 
steps of  Mr.  Wrhocff  kil  from  ihi-  hitcral  moraine-  on 
the  sonth  sick, and  from  Ikml-  no  sij^irs  of  his  haxin^  re- 
treated were  fonnd. 

It  was  nearh  nii(hii^lit  on  An^ust  2.;,  the  (hiy  on 
whieli  the^e  traces  of  Mr.  \'erhoelf  were  fonnd,  when  all 
the  ])arties,  inelndini;  the  I'',skinios,  retnrned  to  the  /\'//r 
and  took  a  mneh  needed  rest.  'l'hi>  was  the  fnst  time 
since  the  search  wa>  !)eynn  that  at  least  one  parly  was 
not  eiy^ai^ed  in  it.  Ihit  not  only  were  the  mend)ers  of 
both  e\pedilion>  worn  ont,  hat  the  l'',^kinio-  themscKes 
showed  si^ns  of  the  strain  wliich  had  been  pnt  npon 
them. 

In  the  morning;,  afti.'r  a  consnltation,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  make  one  more  search.  Mr.  ('iil)son  and  a 
nnnd)er  of  ICskinio^  wer^'  sent  hick  to  the  'glacier  al  the 
head  of  Robertson  l'>a\  ;  1  )i'.  Cook,  with  Mr.  .\strnp,  to 
a  glacier  on  the  north  >ide  ol"  the  ba\  and  to  the  west 
of  the  one  Mr.  (iib>on  Iiad  ;^oni'  to,  while  the  lelii-f 
])art\  di\ide(l  into  two  sections,  one  nndei"  l'roU's>or 
Ileilprin  to  explore  the  approat'hes  to  still  anotlur 
L^lacier  fnrther  to  {\\v  west,  and  the  other  section,  nnder 
Ml.  r.r\ant,  to  examine  the  coast  line  from  this  last 
bod\  of  ice  and  a  \alle\  leading;  to  the  It^loo  l)uhomey. 
'Phey  traveled  o\er  the  i^ionnd  .i>si,L;ned  to  them  rc'Spec- 
ti\ely  all  da\-,  but  with  no  fnrlhei  ie>nlt.>,  and  with 
hea\\      hearts     fnialK      the     nn. minions     opinion      was 


Till-  I'l-ARY  ri:lh:I-  j:\ri:niTiux. 


4 '  «> 


cxprissc.i  that  fintluT  searcli  \v,i.>  usclrs.,  and  tlu- ..nKr 
was  -uxii  I,,  take'  tlic  AV/,  .uht  iiimr  to  McC-Miiiick 
I!a\  1(1  make  prfparaliuiis  fnr  l'.a\iii-  Amir  waUrs. 

'I'"  l'i-<'\iiK-,  li(.\vr\rr,  tor  tlk- s!i-!i[  rliaiUT  thai  Mr. 
Wi'.inrrr  iiii^lii  W  alivr,  t!u' AV/,  \va>  st.^ppid  al  Ca]ir 
Rm1ktIx.1i  and  mir  vrar"->  i.invi.si..ii>  carlu-.l  .m  a  pvoaii- 
iH'iil  s|.Mt  and  Iitlrrs  lor  hini  writtm  aii.l  -ivxu  tn  the 
I>ki!ii..>  ill  i-asr  lu-  sli.iiild  turn  up.  Tln'  skip  was  tlu  n 
,^•'1  uiukr  \\a\.  and  a  littk-  krlmv  ini.Ini-lit  was  aiudiMivd 
ill  iVont  of  ihr  \<.v^\  Ciiff  Ikai.sc-. 


>P 


)Ih. 


(,'  II  A  I'T  i;  R     X  \'  I 


'i: 


I.i;.\\i\(",  MrCiiKMHK  I'.w  -  SnKUdwiM;  N  \rivi  s.  — Ni:  \ui.v  Ici:- 
HoiMi  -A  I'.i.vK  Kii.i.i.h.  -  \kki\  \i.  \  r  Ci miiw  \  N' \nki.i: 
Dooiu.i';  IN  CrKi.iAi.AM).     An   Ai  kkua. 


T' 


'III'!  iK'xt  (lay,  as  soon  as  tlu-  iiioniiiiL;  iiual  was 
disposed  of,  all  liastr  \va^  iiiaiU-  to  imt  tlu-  r- 
maiiiiiiL;  traps  slowi-d.  a  s|)(.(.(ly  (U])arlUR-  l)(.iui^  now 
iin])'.Tali\c-  in  ordii"  to  a\-oiil  biin^  i-an^lit  in  tin.'  ic-r.  a 
]iossil)ilil\  wliicli  was  (lail\  iK  \(,'lo])inL;  into  a  crrtaintN. 
Tlir  rrniainini^  fiw  of  tlu-  (1ol;>  whirli  had  ae-t-oni])anit.-d 
I,iint.  I\ar\  and  Mi.  .\stni])  on  tluir  inland  lev  jonnuA' 
wrrr  takrn  on  hoard  t<i  In  t'on\f\  cd  to  tlu'  I'nitc'd 
.Stati-s,  as  wi  11  a^  "Jack,""  on*.-  ot  thr  two  Xiw  lonndland 
do.L^s  that  had  act'onijianicd  tlu-  (.xiifilition  tlu-  priAions 
war.  'I'lu-  otlur  do:^  of  tlu-  >anK-  ^pvcics,  "  l'"rank,"" 
was  Kft  l)t.diind  andL;i\rn  to  I'".(|na,  who  had  lakrn  .i 
fanr\  to  him,  a  iVrlinL;  whii'h  tlu-  animal  appan-nth' 
R-ci]>rin'atL-d.  I''oi-  llirrr  or  fonr  honr>  tlu.-  l)oat>  wm- 
krpt  pKinu;  hi-twrrn  tlu-  >Iu>ri.-  and  tlu-  A'//r  with 
tlu.'  storrs  K-ft  o\Tr  from  tlu-  pa^t  winlrr  .uid  with  tlu- 
rich  colK-t-tion^  of  rthnoloi^v  and  natnral  histoiA  which 
had  lK-i.-n  madr  1)\  tlu-  Xorth  (  in-mland  I",\])(.-dition. 
.\t  Kn^lli,  1)\  onr  o'clock,  tlu-rc  w;,--  luithinv;  IcU  to 
do    hnt    lake    U-axx-    of    the    i;oo(i-natnrc-d,    kiiul-luaitcd 

natix'cs. 

i.'ii 


fl'li 
■  I, 


Ml 


77/A"  /'/•;. /A')'  Riu.ii.i-  h.xri-.nrriox.       ,21 


rmil  this  iiioiiKiil  llic-  t!i()iiL;]ils  of  (Ir]Mituri-  tVoiii 
Mi-Connick  Hay  on  Ur'  lioiiKwanl  Iri])  liad  liad  iio  ullur 
than  |ilt.-a>aiil  associations,  hiil  now  ilial  llir  Iioiir  had 
Conic-  none  coidd  licl|)  a  feeling  of  rcj^rtt.  'I'liis  feeling 
was  sliaii'd.  as  llu'ir  actions  brtraNcd,  1)\  tlu-  nali\(.-s. 
Instead  of  rnnnini^  al)ont  lau;^liini^  and  i-liatlcrini;,  as 
was  tluir  wont,  tluy  stood  around  in  little  i^^nuips,  and 
I'.ijna,  llu- l)ri;.;lUcst  and  jollicst  of  the  whole  settli-imnt, 
who  had  donned   in   honor  of  the  occasion  a  dirt\    white 

_  .  shirt    and    an    old 


,  -       w.-       t» 

V  si'. >'■'.•■'••  •■  .'     ■* 


coat  i^uen  Iiini   1)\ 

..  one   of   the    ]>arl\, 

''■5 

-■"'.      was   forced    to  iiuai 

,         away     more     t  han 

-^^  ■  once    to    hide     the 

■<\\  ^  5-         tears  which  L^iished 

from    his    eyes     in 

spite  <if  hi--   elforts 

to      the     eoiitraiA, 

aiul    he  nlleled    his 

two    I'hi'^lisli    -eiitinces,    "What's  Av   matlir    wid    >e," 

audi     "  Wliat    \e    call    him,"  with    only    ImIi"  hi>    u^n.il 

aploiiih. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  loiichiii:,;  incident--  of  the 
le,i\-e-takim;  was  u'.ien  Ma;4ip^o,  one  ol  the  wnnieii, 
called  the  onl\-  married  man  on  the  relief  pait\  into 
her  tiiiiic,  and,  with  tears  streamiii;,;  down  her  face, 
handed  him  t  wo  m  iniatnii.'  watei-hiickets  iikkK  nl  seal- 
skin, which  she  lironi^ht  forth  from  under  .i  pile  oi  skins 


422 


/A'  ./AV   1 1(    SliAS. 


'll' 


ii' 


i 


on  ilk-  '^rnuiid,  and  iiiaiK'  liiiii  iiii(kr>lan(l  i1k\'  \\v\v  for 
liislwii  ■' pickaniiinio  "■  at  ImiiU'.  TIk-  n.Uini  i;it'l>  <ii 
lllillll)le>  foi  hiisrir  and  liil  liltlr  olio,  1io\vi.\l1-, 
l)r  iu;^Iil  l)ai.'k  llu-  >niiK--,  ami  >ln.'  wciil  ruilli  fioiii  iIr- 
lupic  (.■xIiihitiiiL;  lluiii  lu  ilu-  ullur  woiiKii,  Ui  llii.ii  iii\\ 
and    i(.al(in.>\. 

lU -and--l)\'  a  1)oal  luaxih  lailii;  Irfl  llir  >]iii)  and  was 
I'liwi'd  lti\vard>  tlu'  lidn.sr.  All  of  llir  "  !!n>ki(.> "  or 
l'",>kiniii  nun  wxu'  drawn  np  in  liiu-  nii  llu'  sIkhx-  and 
near  !)\  >l(i(iil  all  tlir  Wdnuii  -axi-  oiu — a  cliild-wil'i'  wlm 
wa->  K'iiiL;  ill  in  lu-r  liqiir.  WMu  u  llir  Ixial  Imu'lird  ilu- 
l.ind,  .1  :^i'i.al  sliiuil  wi-ait  ii])  fnini  tlif  nati\i.->,  aiu'  llu-ir 
sniiiiw  for  onr  L;iiinL;  \ani>lu(l  in>lanll\',  Ua'  luMprd  np 
in  il  \\\i"i.-  kniiilloor  piik'>,  iron  spt-ai'  lu-ads,  iron  pot>, 
spoons,  sc'issor>,  kniws,  saw>,  lialclicls,  clcax'C'rs.  .iiid 
niaii\-  ollu'r  arlirk>  lii^lik  pri/A(l  by  llirni.  Tlirir  Jon- 
was  nnkoiindrd  as  iIkm.-  tliiiii^s  wviv  di\-i(k-d  anioiii; 
tlKin,  sliarr  and  ^liau-  alike  (.xcrjil.  iIr-  cliild-witV.  who, 
l)(.can>e.'  slu-  was  sick,  was  llu-  ixcipic-nl  of  nianx  addi- 
tional .uifls  from  iiidi\idnal  nK'nil)i.rs  of  Uk-  ]>arl\-. 
TlKai  kiriil.  IVary  cansrd  lluir  iicarK  full  cup  of  liappi- 
nt>>  to  owrllow  ,  1)\-  prL'sciiliiiL;  iIk- mlirc  si.  llkaikiil  with 
thr  Rrd  Cliff  Ilonst.-,  on  condition  that  lhc\-  should  not 
tear  il  down  that  winter — a  condition  llu-\-  rcadih' 
agreed  to. 

At  this  point  a  shrill  whistle  from  the  Kih  notified 
the  parties  tm  shore  that  the  lionr  for  departure  had 
coiMi.',  and  with  that  nioincnt  the  evidences  of  ^rief  on 
the  part  of  the  natives  were  ai^aiii  manifested  and  with 


1  HI:    rh.AKY  RIJ.IEI-   l-.Xri-.ni  riiW.  4j;, 


rt'ildulilrd    folTl.-.        'I'lu    wllilr   ]K()])Ic    IKi   Ir^^  Wi  I  r   llK'Xul. 

l\wi'\    one   \v,i>  >li,ils(.ii    I)\     ilk-    li.iiiil,  ,111(1    lluii    with 
>li<iiU>(it    laic- Will  ilk   iik!iilnr>  III"  tile    Iv.M  i Apidilimis 
spr.ni^L;  iiiti'    ihr   wailing;   Ii<Mt   aiiil    wiii-    rownl    in    llir 
>liili.       A  W\\  iiiiiiuli.^  !ali.r  >Ik-    ^Itankd    -^lowh    oiu    v.\ 
ill"  l>a\    with  Ilk'  Aimricai:  tla''  llnaliii''  ai  Iki  iiia^llu  ad 


N  Al'l\  I.    W  I  iMA.N    I  i|-    i.iiiill  \\  N. 

and  lur  wliistk-   hlowiiiL;    loi;dl\    and    t  >  laliiiiion-U  ,  and 
siKin  ilk-  Kid  Clilf  IIdIIm-  ladi-d  niil  nf  >i,-Iil. 

Jn>l  al'Ur  pa-sin.^;  XnnliiinilKrland  I>land,  U  ii  niiU'> 
suiilli  of  McCorniirk  ]'.a\  ,  ilk  IraxcK-r^  \\\n  iiiadr 
awaix-  1)\  Caplain  rikr  hew  iln^i  had  he  in  llkii  ixapr 
lYoni  brin^-  compclk'd  In  sptiid  llir  wiiiUr  in  llir  Arclic 
rc\i;i()ii>,  and  tlir  force  of  iIk'  >kippi.r'>  rcinaik  ihal  a  da\ 


\^ 


III 


424 


/N  ARC  in-  SI-.AS. 


»!■.. 


\ 


or  Iwo''^  (Ula\  would  lia\r  luiii  moii^li  was  painfully 
c\  iikiit,  for  a  i^n.il  fn-ld  of  old  irr  i-i  iiuiik-d  toL;illn.r 
with  >oiiii^  ice-  iK-arl}  lliici-  iiiclu--  lliick  wa^  eu- 
coiiiitt.-n(l. 

ll  had  l)(.rii  riofi-oot  I  K  ilpiin"'-  iiiliiilioii  011  Ua\iiiL', 
MrConiiit'k  r.a\  to  >io|)  at  all  llir  iiali\r  M'tlKninils 
brlwnii  llial  ]>lacr  and  C.ipc'  N'oik  and  disiriknk'  the 
j^ifts  still  rrnriiniiiL;,  and  to  niakr  siarch  at  Cajir  \'ork 
for  till-  iron  mountain  containing;  llu-  natiw  iron  which 
the  I '".^k  i  n  los  n>c  to  strike  flic  Iroui,  hut  ill  is  \  on  ul;  ii'c  jmt 
a  (|nic-tn-- on  tlu"-!.-  ]ilan>  and  all  ^pccd  had  tn  hi'  made 
xmthward.  Tlii  Kih  nittrcd  Mclxilk-  I'.a\  on  the 
afternoon  of  .\u^n>l  J5,  and  in  lifl\-(.'i^ht  honi>>  wa> 
safel\-  out  of  it,  ha\iu^  met  with  uothinu;  hut  thin  ?x\v\ 
rotten  ii.-e,  throui^h  which  -he  made  her  wa\  without 
difllcnltw  liefore  pa'-^ini;  the  coid'iue^  of  the  l)a\, 
howiAcr.  the  reliif  i>art\  >ecureil  what  tlie  nieinher--  hail 
keen  loni^ini^  tor  tVom  the  nioUKiit  the)  intired  Arctic 
waters — a  jiojar  hiar. 

When  fu'sl  sreii.  tile  aiiiiiial  wa>  not  uiote  than  half  a 
mileawax,  sitting  on  a  larL;e  cake  of  ice,  lookiu'^  at  tin- 
\e»(.-k  and  >nch  wa>  the  ciiriosil\'  of  the  fooIi>h  hea^t 
that  he  allowed  it  to  approach  within  a  hnudred  \  ard> 
hefort-  taking  alarm  ;  llu-n  he  turned  to  make  off.  hut  his 
resolution  caiiu- loo  late.  Ik-  ran  lor  the  water  to  inakt.' 
u;(jod  his  esca]»e,  and  hail  almost  succeeded  in  reaching 
till-  cud  of  the  cakt-,  wluii  tin.-  ])arty  fired  at  the  word  of 
comniand,  and  lu-  fell  ]iierced  h\  sc-wral  bnllets.  Ilis 
vitalil)   was  siudi,  liowiwr,  that  it  reiiuired  two  or  ll'.rco 


M 


X 

c 


^ 
T 


'  i        JllLl 


}W 


'r 


riih:  rEARY  ri-.i  //./■  h.xrr.niriox. 


1-7 


iiinn-  sli()l>  ti)  t'(ii!i]ia^-^  Imn  (Ualli  ami  s.ciiM-  lui  llu' 
Acadciiiy  of  Xalinal  ScirncL'^  a  liiU'  >kiii  ami  rmni^Ii 
llir  lal)k'  1)1'  iIk-  Kill   willi  IcmUi"  biar  sUaks. 

lA'a\iu,L;  Mflvilk-  I!a\-  llir  A'/A  ^Uaiiuil  dirii'lK  Ini 
Wai^ali'  Sliails,  which  Mi)aialrs  DLskn  Nlaml  iVniii 
(iri'i'iiland  proper,  ani\iii,L;  lluri'  on  Au.mi^l  x^).  Sin- 
sloppc-d  at  a  place  calKd  Ataiukcrdlid^,  wluri- a  sum  of 
coal  crops  otil  ahoul  iidd  Ucl  al)o\c  si.a  li'\il  which  i> 
reputed  \'cr\  rich  in  fossils.  A  few  hours'  search  scciind 
for  the  expedition  a  nia.Ljiiificenl  collection  and  tlu  n  the 
k'ilr  proceeded  to  ("iodha\n,  wdlere  sIk'  arri\  ed  tile  next 
niorniiiL:,  Au'-ust  ;ii. 


The  reception  of  the  two  expeditions  at  this  pjae-e 


was 


as  heart)-  as  couM  he  desired,  and  in  the  ewniii^  the  y 
atte'iidi'il  a  dance  i^iveai  1)\  the  ICskinios,  where  llu\' 
waltzed  and  polkaed  with  the  Ivskinio  wonu  n  as 
parlmrs.  The  affair  took  place  in  llu' ]arL;e  \\i  rkshdpuf 
the  settlement  ;  the  sha\in:.;s,  work  henclus.  etc.,  had 
been  pushed  to  one  side  to  L^ive-  plenl\  of  space-  Inr  the 
<lancers.  'I'liree  tallow  candles  lit  ii])  the-  lodin  faintly, 
and  Daiiie-l,  tlie-  f.iiilifiil  iiili  ;  prete-r.  who  on  ae-coiint  of 
his  joiiriie-y  iii.rth  had  becoim-  .1  i^rt-at  man  at  I)isko,  was 


llKlste-r  ol    ccrelllollles. 


Wo    iHldli-s   .md    an    ,!i-coiuion 


furnishe-d  the-  niusie',  and  llu-  nimlile-  fee-l  of  the-  nali\e 
wonie-n  did  the  rest  to  iiifee't  all  with  tlu-  d.iiiciii;^  lliaili.;. 
Most  of  the-  airs  p]a\e-d  welc  D.iiiish,  lilil  the-  e-xploi'ers 
were  awake-iie-d  to  .istoiiishiiienl  when  \\\v\  heard  the 
familiar  tiiiie-  of  "  Money  Musk,"  and  wlu-n  lau-r  on  the 
l),.nd  sndde!;l\   struck  up  "  \'ankee  I)o()dle""  the\   hroke 


Ik 


H 


42 


2S 


/.y  ./A7  '//r  s/-:as. 


out  iiilo  |i;ilrii)Uc  clu'i.r>.  And  lu-ir  iIk\-  wim-  in  ;i 
laiul  wlu-iT  ni;in\-  of  lluir  iVii'iid^  al  liMiiir  lnlii\i(l  iIra' 
wirr  waiKU'riiiL;  about  in  misery,  lauclnjitd  in  fni's  to 
ki-f])  onl  an  nnrr^istiTablr  dr^rc'r  of  rold,  and  (.■  itini; 
hlubbrr  and  tallow  oandK's  to  sustain  litV,  danfin^  .vitli 
oprn  windows,  in  tluir  slp'rt-sli(.'\(.s,  and  with  ])nit"nsi]\ 
(KTspirin^'  brows.  'I'lif  coi.trasl  bftwft  n  tlu-  inia.L;inar\' 
and  lilt.'  ri'al  was  c-\trinK-l\-  hnniorous.  Alkr  tlir  dancr 
a  dainty  luncliron  was  >cr\rd  at  llu'  liousi.-  of  tin.'  in- 
sptrtor  of  ( 'iodlia\  n. 

( )u  Srptrnibfr  I,  tlir  ])art\-  badi-  fari'.wll  to  tluir 
iViiuds  at  ('iodlia\n,  including-  Daniel,  who  (.-anii'd  out  a 
pri'viousK'  (.■Npn-ssi'd  intrntion  "to  much  cr\  wlun  ^!ii|) 
;4(>,""  and  starti'd  for  ( iodthaab,  thr  capital  of  llu- .South- 
ern Inspectorate  of  ( ireeiiland.  'I'he  jourmy  thither  was 
without  si)i.'cial  incident,  saw  one  ;  this  was  a  splendid 
(lispla\'  of  the  aurora  on  the  nij^ht  of  .Septeudur  2.  It 
bcf^an  in  the  northwest  and  swi'i)t  with  mar\(.lous 
rajiidily  across  the  sky  in  a  waNini;-  luminon>  clouil  u[ 
yellowish  white,  until  it  fornieil  a  ]ierfei'L  arch,  t'\- 
tendin!4'  tVoni  horizon  to  horizon,  and  apparentK'  o\  er- 
]iani;in,L;  the  ship.  Imoui  this  arch  shot  out  nnriad.-.  of 
white  shafts,  with  here  and  tlure  oni- of  pink  and  of 
re>l.  Aft(.r  a  tiuK'  it  slowh  faded  awa\ ,  onI\  to  reappear 
in  a  new  and  e(iuall\  entdiantiui;  form,  when,  starting 
.li^ain  in  llu'  northwot,  ,iud  t.akim;  the  s,mu-  direction 
as  before,  it  assnnuil  the  torni  of  a  .L;reat  diaphanous 
curtain,  han,L;in;4  from  the  lieawns  in  r.ia:i\  ,u;raceful, 
mo\iu:_;   I'oIiN.      Tlu'  displax-  lasted  for  hours. 


i 


Ifi'i, 


n. 


::j<£Si.«„»ai 


1    \l<l  Wi  I.I.     I,,    {-.Hl.isi.Wi,, 

pM^I.V     in    tlu-   n.nnnn^    tlu-    AVa     wa.    aiK-au,    .,< 

^  •^^^■'■^"^-"'-.rtlu.alni.Minnnnu.ral.K.  i.Ian.U 
"''"'""  "'^"^''^■-^^--^^"'S,.„tlK.,n(;n.n,Ian,l  an.l 
—...„,  aru.,va.>c..lX...Snkkc.nnp.  X.w  Sukkc-n.p 
"I  I'-rtu-allv  a  ^l^.uUr  n-ck  risi,,,  ,.,vn,,„..n.I v  an,] 
'''•■.o>i,K-,-puuI,VuknIv,nn,v,!,an,v.„,   u,,    .„,,    ;,-  j,,^. 

--■■tsIn,h,K.ak,ui,I,sli,Iulvrn„n,K.,I...,.,,ivin..u. 

stnknu:u.>cn.l.kMux.l,.aI,n^.M,.arl..ar.an.ll,.,:.H,,.   , 
Hn^uknap,,n,pnau.,u.s.„.tlu.nanu..     k..„,l,  ,,,,1  .1.1- 
'';:•"    ^'"    !''•  — 'I-I--,   it    In.l.I.    ,„iu.    an,I.„.     ,„ 
:';'-''••  -i^i>-.lK-l    in    Dani.l:    ..,]lnal    k.n,na,c.  .,f 
I'-l^nno.    ,n„n    (;,..i,I,,,a!,.      .X.,,-    Snkknlnp   i.    ,,,    ;,„ 

'':"-^^'"'    '•""'•"-■'^    ''-'■    A'vt.c    navi.at,,,..    th,.„,,,    „,., 

;u-tfr  <.l    till-  (.■M.ist. 

A  ^•wl..Hn.kucrtlu.AyA  ,,,nvc-l  ..i]"  ,  ;,.,it,,,,„,,  ^ 
l<^'iak..  p,u.„r,n.,n  >In..v  an,l  ..„„.  ah-.a,-!  „,  pi!,,  lua 
''"•"".1.  llK.,k.n.,cr..n..I,an,uIst,,.Iu.  harhornr   .f.ipV 

''--"•  '"'^  '-'M  inh.nnn,,  lur  pa»c.n^u>n,nll.K.n,iaIIv 
""'    "'"'    •"•    ^'''-    "'"    i'-pnr,ancv    wind,     lu-    p„,l,..h,v 


Ni: 


430 


IN  ARC  Ik    SEAS. 


sW 


\: 


(Ui'imd  fUliii;^  llir  ()^-c■a'^il'll.  that  Jicv  voiilil  iMt  Ix.- 
all.i\\(.(l  to  laii'l  l)(.i'ati>i.-  lit' till-  I  )aiiisli  law.  Tlu- liilaiit\ 
wliit'Ii  ;^Ri'li'(l  \.\\\>  ainioniUTiiunt  (li>r(iiK'crti(l  liiiii 
not  a  liltif,  l)iil  tin-  ama/(.iiK!il  his  farv  i  \1)rs>i(1  \va> 
trul\'  cmnical  wlut;,  mi  n  riiviiiL;  ridlV^soi-  I  Kiijuiir.s 
tTC'driitials,  ihr  ;^i iwrm r  aail  Iii>  iiri\ati.'  M.c-i'(.lai\  caiiu- 
(111  hoard  and  wclcoiiu-d  \\\v  ]iarl\'  in  ihi-  most  cordial 
iiiaii.Hr. 

<iodtliaah,  allhoii^li  oiir  of  tlk-  lana-st  sfltlciiuaits  of 
South  (  im-nlaud,  is  prrhaiis  Ic^s  known  lo  tlu'  out^idr 
World  ;^riKraIl\  than  an\  otlur  placi-  in  the  Arctic  rcv.ioii>, 
!)ciiiL;  fir  xmtli  of  the  wlialiiii^  'jrouiiils  of  the  Xcw- 
foundland  whalers  and  ciitiix-ly  out  of  lluar  course.  (  »i 
the  other  hand  it  is  main  iiiilo  aho\  e  Ui^lnk,  llu'  oiih 
otlur  point  ill  (iieeiiland  more  or  k-ss  frcciueiitK  x'isitcd 
1)\    foreign  \eSM.-'>,  whii'li  coiiie  thin-  for  crvoliti'. 

(ioilihaal)  i>  oiK-  of  the  ohle^t  settlements  in(ii\-en- 
laiul.  Its  hi>tor\  ,i;oe>  hack  nearl\  a  thousand  yi-ars. 
when  ,1  Xoi'se  colon\  wa^  plauten  a  lew  miles  from  the 
|)n.'sent  >ili-  and  tlourislK'd  for  a  C(.'ntur\  or  -d,  until  tlk- 
coloiii:.t>  wi're  ixtei'ininated  li\  a  trihe  of  s.i\-a,L;cs. 
'!'h<>i'  sa\a;..;(.>,  who  are  supposc-d  1)\-  mam  to  ha\'e  \wv\\ 
the  aiu-cstors  of  the  prcM  ut  iiiotfeii>i\-e  h'skinios,  are  lu- 
lit\ed  to  lia\e  collie  owr  iVoiu  the  American  shore,  which 
llie\  prohaliK  foUiiwed  iiorthwar<l  'n  Smith  Sound, 
where  tlie\  crossed  o\  cr  to  (  ireeiikind  ;  for  tlu'  U-Ljend  is 
that  l!ie\-  ciuie  fioiu  the  North.  In  iheii  c-.ircer  they 
killed  ,dl  and  destroyi-il  exi'ix  M'sli-iof  the  Xorsciiun, 
who,    it    is    l)e!ie\-ed.    Wen.-   up    to    that    liuK'    the   oiih 


I: 


■/■///:•  /vc.iA')'  A7-: /.//■:/■-  /■:.\7V-:/y/7V(\v 


inlialiilauls  of  thai  hltak  inland  coiitimiil.      A  U\v  mil 


i> 


.f  i! 


ic  .ih: 


X(.i 


SI-    c(il()ii\,  il    1^    >aiil,  arc    sliU    slandiiii 


sonu-  iniU-s  fn'tii  'lu'  pivsciU  town. 

Till.'  prrsc-iU  Mllk'iiK-nl    is  ])k'asaiitl\   sitnatrd    on    tlu 


•  IL" 


(.an  tVoiil,  and  Iiarl)iiriil  tVoiu  iIr-   lirrcx    Arcli*.-  >Imm 


ll-^ 


by  llu-  iiian\  i>laudN  wliich  skirl  tin-  cimm  and  r\Und  in 
nnuKTou^  t;rt>ni>s  miuk  niiks  oiit  iiiln  llir  ■^ta .  Tlir 
liarhnr  i>  hrliind  llic  ton^iU'  <>['  land  mi  wliirli  ihr  lnwii 
is  siltuik-d,  ill  llir  llord,  Kiii.i;  bclwiLU   il  and    llu-    main 


coast. 
It 


\\a->  at  this  phu-' 


tliat  Xaii'^n 


1   aiiM    111 


--   (.'1  iiiijMnioiis 


L'iiurL;rd  iVoin   the   iidaiid    \cv.  alUr   haviii:^    >n(.'n.»l"iilly 
acct)iiil>li>h(.  d  the  iVal,  ik-\\t  brlniv  alkiiiptid,  ol"  i  r<)»- 


iii'"  r.riTidand  fniin  cna^l  loi-oasl, 


Th 


Ills  was  Ihi-  (inl\- 


itciirdi-d  iiislano.'  dI  aii\'  sxslriiialic  rxpldratiiui  <>!  tin.- 
U-nois  iiTthr  ie-i-cap  iinlil  ihi-  pirrnniiaiicf  \va>  ontdniu- 
1)\  till'  siR~c't.»lnl  cro-oiiiL;  anil  ixciossiiii;  ->!"  the  sanu-  in 
inucli  hi.^hcT  hililii(k>   1)\-  I.iiul.  lVar\   and  Mr.  .\>tnij). 


II; 


i\iiiL;    had    a    sliL;hl    r\i)t.'rii.iKT  i  if  ihr  natiiir  of  ilial 


whiti.-  dt.M)lalion,  \\c  cmild  \w\\  a])])T(.i'iali-  thi   Icilin,;  of 
R'lirf   and   jii\-   (ksrrihrd    h\ 


\<iiis(.n    whin    \\'     and    hi-> 
coiiiiianiDiis  oiKX-  au.iiii    li-U    ihr   ^i>\\   l^R'i  n  ni()>->  ol'  the 


coast  niukr  their  teet  instead  of  the   han 


IroXeli 


snow   throu'.di    whirTi    tor  ni.aii\-   wtar\   week^   iht  ■    had 


)eeii     tnid'-iii'. 


How    lhe\     rolkd    in    tile    nins^   and 


capered  o\er  its  elastie    -iirfaei    like    l)o\s  jiist    released 
from  school.      It  was  at  ( "■iHUhaah,  tuo,  that   tlu   Xaiiseii 


parl\   wcr*.-  olilimd  to  uinaiii  i>\(. 


r  llu 


winter    I  SS^   "Sii 


h; 


IVlll' 


arn\e( 


1    too    late    l< 


in     tile    last    ship    t<n 


w 


)lft. 


'J; 


lit 


4.VJ 


/N  .lA'CT/C  s/:,is. 


Co|)(.'ulia;^rn .  Al  llir  S'ludax  ">  <laiuc,  wliicli  llu'  whole 
jiarlv  altrndid,  \vr  ■-aw  llu-  I'.^kiiuo  iiiaiiUii  wliosf  lu-arl- 
R'luliii}^  t'ar>.\V(.il  iVdin  nuv  of  Xau^cii's  LapIaiuUrs,  llu.- 
joqiuicioiis  Uallii,  is  so  Iniiiioroiisly  (k^fiihtd  1)\  that  t-x- 
plorcr.  Slu'  siiiiKil  til  lia\t.'  (.iitiulN  ireowivd  in  mi  tin.- 
(.•iTfCts  of  that  ht'artaclu-  and  looked  iiluiiip  ami  luallli\ , 
atid  Ikt  lal,  round  and  pivltx  (aw  was  wivallifd  in  sniiKs. 

Tlic  stttk-nuiU  has  iiion-  than  2i »)  iiihahitanls, 
all  of  whom,  ixcrptiiiL;  ihr  Danish  oflk-ial^,  llu-  vec- 
tor ul"  tin-  church  and  tlu-  diKtor.  and  ihiar  rcs|)ccti\t.' 
families,  nw  h^skinio^  or  half-'irci'ds.  The  prcsiaicc  of 
the  AVa  in  the  little  harbor  hthind  the  town  attracted 
to  the  short'  ])rol>al>l\  all  of  the  ICskinios  in  the  place, 
and  the  men  eanu'  onl.  darting  alxmt  hither  and  thither 
in  their  ^racefnl  kajaks,  entertaining^  the  voyagers  with 
exhibitions  of  tluir  wonderfnl  skill  in  harpoon  and  bird- 
spear  throwing;. 

The  marxclons  de\terit\  of  the  I'.skinios  of  .Sonthern 
(ireenland  in  the  use  of  the  kajak  ii- a  matter  of  i-oinnion 
re])ort,  bnt  >ome  of  the  feats  allribnted  to  thiin  seemed 
so  incredibk-  that  the  j^ov  i  rnor.  Mr.  Il.inmann,  was 
api)ealed  to  b\  sonu-  of  the  part\  as  to  the  trntli  of  these 
stories.  ( fO\ernor  lianmann  .issiued  tin  m  that  tin  \  were 
not  only  true,  but  that  tlieie  were  .inio.ii;  till'  ICskimos  ou 
board  two  of  llu  most  skill fnl  kajakerson  tlu'  co.ist,  who 
wotdd  be  i^lad  to  show  tluir  jnowess  if  iiu'  \isiiors  de- 
sired to  witness  it.  The  otiir  was  L^ladly  acci  ])ted,  md 
the  two  men.  t)\  direction  if  Mr.  r.aumann,  prepared  for 
action.      The\   put  on  tluar  se.ii-skin  jackets  .md  j^loxes, 


77//-;  nEARY  RELIEF  EXrElVTlON. 


4.S5 


and  t\iii,n  lluui  in  such  a  \va\-  tlial  llif\-  wire  watLTproof, 
tlifv  <;()l  into  tlu'ir  Uajaks  and  |)a(l(llt.<l  away.  W'Ik'Ii 
about  a  liundri'd  yards  from  tlif  ship  thcx  stopped  and 
OIK' of  ihiiM  slowly  incliiK-d  his  body  to  tht-  ri.^lit.  As 
Ik-  did  so,  thf  kajak  rolled  o\cr  until  it  was  bottom  .side 
up.  I'or  a  second  or  two  it  rcniaiiK-d  in  this  position, 
and  then  it  bc.^an  slo\vl\  rollin,!^  a.^ain,  and  in  another 
second,  with  a  llourish  of  his  paddle,  the  kajaker  had 
rii^hted  his  craft  and  was  wi])iny-  the  salt  water  from  his 
face  and  e\es.      Meanwhile   the  other  kajaker  al>o  oxer- 


turned  his  boat  and  ri'-hted   it,  and  did  it  nion 


)\e!-,  two 


or  three  tiuK'S  withotit  stoppinj^,  a])parentl\ ,  for  bieath. 
.\fter  they  had   both  repeated   this   performance  nian\ 


tun 


es,  o 


ne  of  the  kajakers    turned    his  boat   so  that    the 


prow  pointed  towards  thi'  shi]),  and  then  held  it  motion- 
less. While  he  was  doin,L;  this  the  other  backed  olT  a 
few  yards  and  then  darted  at  the  first  with  full  s])eed. 
An  instant  before  he  reached  him  he  threw  himself 
slightly  l)ackwar(l,  raisin,!^  the  bow  of  his  boat,  and  it 
sped  rapidly  and  smoothly  o\er  the  other  and  into  the 
water  a^ain  beyond.  .\mid  bursts  of  applause,  they 
returned  to  the  ship,  where,  after  diveslint;  iheiusehes 
of  their  water-proof  garments,  they  were  each  rewarded 
with  a  jack-knife,  and  were  rei^aled,  the  t^oxenior  per- 
iniltiu!^,  with  a  .^las^  of  hot  schnapps. 

Soon  after  the-  whole  jjarty  went  ashore,  and  under  the 
(.guidance  of  Mr.  liaumaun  and  Mr.  Stexeiison,  his  yu- 
vate  secretarx ,  were-  led  o\er  the  rocks  and  marshes  to 
the  little  town,  a   mile-  or  more   awaw      Here  the\-  were 


f 


4,V' 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


i' 


\\ 


!! 


prcsc-ntfil    to    Iiis|K'cl()r  ,  and    after  a  sliort    and 

pleasant  chat  with  this  official,  who,  as  well  as  ( ioxcr- 
nor  P.atnnann  and  their  respective  families,  s])oke 
Ivnj^lish  llnently,  the  parly  started  on  a  tonrof  the  j)lace 
nntil  the  honr  for  dinner,  to  which  some  had  l)een 
pressinj;l\'  invited  by  the  inspector  and  others  1)\-  the 
governor. 

The  most  pretentions  ri'sidence  in  the  place  is  the 
one  in  \vhich  the  inspector  and  his  family  dwell,  and  it, 
as  well  as  the  homes  of  the  other  Danish  residents,  is 
well  kept,  with  j^rass-plols  attached,  and  is  snrronnded 
1)\-  neat  fetices.  At  (iodthaab  there  is  an  entire  ab- 
sence of  the  povert\-  so  evident  even  at  (iodhavn,  and 
still  more  so  at  ri)erna\ik.  The  one-stor\-  honses  of 
the  nati\es  all  present  a  neat  appearance  and  are  con- 
strncted  of  frame,  with  the  sides  banked  np  with  stones 
and  tnrf  (rodthacd)  also  has  a  street,  with  two  small 
bnt  neat  l)rid_nes  spanninj;  streams  which  flow  thron.^h 
the  villa.^e.  .Some  of  the  honses  of  ( iodthaab  are 
bnilt  alon}^  this  street,  which,  though  narrow,  is  neatl\' 
kept  ;  bnt  <^a'nerall\-  the  bnildini^s,  as  in  all  other 
(rreenland  settlements,  are  scattered  promiscnonsly 
abont  to  the  \'v^\\.  and  left,  and  are  a]>proached  by  well- 
worn  paths  running;-  and  crossing  each  other  in  every 
direction. 

The  l^skimos  of  (iodthaab,  nnlike  their  pajL^an  kin- 
dred at  Cape  York  and  beyond,  profess  Cliristianit\-.  At 
one  end  of  the  street  jnst  mentioned  stands  the  church 
with  a  tower  and  belfrw      The  chnrch  has  a  fine    toned 


I 


M  1. 


Nalinglnaraik  tusanimin&sassuaik  niiivk&t. 

^Oitnriri-  4. 


IS3J. 


I  III  a  it :      NAn«t>n-ip    iUi'Jilo     Nun:  mo     uki?ttiltutik    RtigilA 
Arncrr.  —      Kiniu;;*iii**i*«iirtut'  oKtlu^tuat     —       rainAriilii>it 


Ifansen-ip 

ilaiulo  NQngmc   iikisitdl  utik  anga- 
I  a  s.><  a  r  n  c  r  e . 


(•gdl;  L.  MCllrr.) 

Siorns  opornflma  1889  Atuagagdiiutit  ilaisi- 
gut  Nanscn-ikiit  si'mnTssiidkut  ilinncti'T.it,  fihir- 
(oratko,  CKirpungi  Niingii)'  ukisifdlniik  ancala- 
ssaraete  sipitipkuiui  tu^atilliiikiiuiArdlugit,  Di;Ksi- 
kilt  nko  sapiU.ndSjil  rii.inf  ukisitilutik  aiipalas-ar- 
oece  oi<^iliid|jiiui:irtii.irpal>.i: 

Siorn.ile  Al'ia(;«u(lliiiliii(,'iit  agiUiuligincKarfr- 
pOK  Naiiscn-o  SvoMinip-ilD  tiniiPidllutiji^siamitior- 
mik  mniatii.i\i>sinrsiinaviJliilik  Au.cNB'Hip  Kingua« 
oil  Numttnut  piisut  Orlflparip  uvtluisa  I'-ne.  Ki- 
ngornalo  silarrlliigljrlors.sM>si)(  ihj  Nflnijinil  iimi.il- 
Bilmik  umininigllo  ui^Miuikit  OrtOfarip  I'J  sila^'ig- 
silcr.iiat  ailsat  likiupaii;  taimaiie  jjIc  apingiiial- 
dlarlOK . 

NQngmut  pigamik  avalagfigssamiogaik  erngi- 


naK  norKjiC'iliiaKaul,  lvi:,'tiiiiul>ll)  p1Mrlil,^i^'alua^• 
put  Fos-imiil«  aiTKiiV'liutik,  ukiWai'lUrnoralo  pi- 
SKMti^'alii^'O  aiuiiiaiik:iri^niaiil<  ukinliijl>>rpiit.  Lki- 
nialiTiarainik  criiuitUK  hajjnijjtitt-rput,  sanileautc- 
Karioatalo  Kiiinatik  ators!>JriarlOK  piuinaisamiiignik 
iiniartuinal'.'r['iit ;  tupin^'naKaiiiillo  sun^MiUsilcttu* 
!iMis.°,  ping.'irtuiiiik  NaiiM'n  ip  Kajaw  siiiii;iutilertor* 
pi;  tduiia  erni.inar;'.'uj,ik  sanilcKUl  lei.ipoK.  ilanc 
Niiviiiii'aro  niijarlulcra  Kau^u<  Asit  SilarHiipiiiuna 
Kllnrisoriijiig^irivJIiinil'),  taiiiiaitnK  asit  Kujjrtnrtut 
aul  I:;i4.pul ;  taimniiili)  Ssit  N,it:s.n-ip  «.ijjrtortiit 
iiialikai  nnlcriii.iiilluno.  L'vdIor'.iu.iK  nSvlini;')  or- 
siiniinane  K;iti>'r9iiairiaraiiii'  a(,'iut  apivos  9i;.'-^jiniil 
at'dliit  iiiAariK  riildlunp;  I'lniiliTsaK  Kaj.uturtut  ta- 
iiuniiik  tiktrariiula  Nanaon-c  kUiiiia  tikiii;.'ilprp(iK: 
hajirioiliit  ilaisa  ouanli^at  uvJJuiildlugo  noidlll  a- 
vaUne  napisiinagaliiatdlu|.'o,  kimuinaidle  nivtailur* 
viiarmiit  «iin^MrloruK.  TaiiiaR.iine  iitarhili'rparpiit; 
t.lrsinalctiiKit  kUa  iiiilaiiL'ili;!ilorpar[iil,  nivlailar- 
pal(1>JKiri;;iiial  a'llillarr.^'vat'rusiigaliigo;  avalntalo 
nuoaluit  ilaimt  pi>Miia^>al.iaruno  iljiannavi^ngiiig- 
magil  tikigtag3rlii|,'iria[iii|;it.  'l'Ar»ivi|:>lluii>I'>  nit;- 
j^ilcif'OK  cnitjiiiaK  niikissai,'lili'rllunp  t-nlile  er^siiigit- 
sor^^'ivdluno;  tami iiliii;;iiitt  ilai<a  tamavtihiiao  i- 
siimaluKili'KJrfiut;  nOidlerout  tikisoillugo  tusarniar- 
tikaluaraiiiikii  taimak  iichaiigilas, — 

rciiliii,'iMKmal    ilaisa    uiDiaUslainik    ujariartor'' 
niarum^Tdlugo  pikil«rput;  pikivdiatik  uuilauiaguar- 


An  I'^KlMip  Nr.WM'Al'l.K  -  Kr.lmcd  tiu  ^iiiiilc  ol  .t  iiiciiitlily  |iiililii  ;itiipii.  ( dui  .1 
prilitril  ;itlil  imhli-lud  in  lllc  l';>kiinn  1;iin;u:ini-,  l)y  Cliri-.tliill  ll^kiiii'is  at  iloiit- 
hiiali,  S'liilli  liiK  iilaiiil. 


I  * 


!," 


: 


'/■///•;  /•/•;. /A')-  Ri'.i.mr  lixi'i-.nriiox. 


»;>') 


I 


or.Ljau  and  a  liaiidsoiiU'  allai.  Twn  (Uiii)iiiiiiali(iii>  wor- 
ship luri'  in  lianuoin.  l!u' ('iri'i'iilaiKli^Ii  and  llii'  haiiisli. 
'Plu'  first,  wliich  holds  siT\ict.'  fntiii  iiiur  lo  Uii  o'lhuk  on 
Sunday  nioruin.i^s,  is  alliMuk'd  by  ICskinios  almost  \vholl\ 
and  ])R'sidf(l  o\ti  hy  a  naliw  priMrhir.  wlm  aUo  dnrini; 
ihf  wiik  watc'lifs  caictulh  o\i  r  iht'  .s]iiiitual  wrlfarr 
of  his  lloi'k,  and  ha^  i-on>id(.ial)li'  Imipoial  authoiilN 
vested  in  him  h\  the  inspfctoi.  Thr  Mi-ond  mtx  iir, 
which  is  atlendid  1)\  all  thr  Hanish  i\sidinl>,  is  ]iir- 
si(K(l  o\  ir  1)\  the  nt'tof,  and  ht'i^ins  an  hour  alli  r  llu- 
first  is  o\».T. 

Xo  S(.T\ices  ari'  luld  Snii(ki\  ia  i.iiin^>,  iIum'  honis 
l)i'in>j^  ^i\eii  o\(  r  to  a  hall  lu'ld  in  oiu-  of  llu  workshops, 
wlu'iv  e\i.r\  Ivskinio  man  and  woman,  Miuni;  ami  old, 
d.iiu-is  to  tlu'  souikK  of  ,1  fiddlr  with  a  luartiiuss  of  m- 
joynunt  whii'h  is  rtfrrshin.!^  to  six-,  and  with  a  ^raci-- 
fiiliK'ss  and  acrurai-^-  iM"  tinu-  in  tluir  stt'ps  whith  would 
l)f  tMfditahlc  in  am  (.-irv-li- of  socic'tx'  in  our  own  cixil- 
i/.i'd  (.•onntr\. 

( lodlhaal)  has  also  a  niontliK  iK'Wspaprr  printid  in  tlu- 
ICskinio  lan<4-ua_m',  thr  pnhlishinij^,  idilin.L;  and  t\pi'- 
si'ttiuL;  <pf  whii'h  is  doiU'  I)\-  natiws.  it  is  i-allid  Aliia- 
i^iixd/iii/i/ — said  to  imaii,  " 'I'hal  wliirh  should  hi- nad." 
I'",ach  numl)(.'r  has  lii^ht  ]>a.!^is  and  is  illustratid  l)\ 
wood-cuts,  tlu-  Work  of  natiw  (.'nmax  ers.  It  has  a 
widi'  circulation,  icaihiuL;,  occasioualK  ,  as  t.ir  north  ,is 
rpcrnaxik,  and  as  fir  south  as  Jnli.inshaal),  'fluri'  is 
also  a  ]>hoto!L;rai)h  iLiallcry  in  the  sittUniciit,  owiu-d  and 
conducted   1)\-  an  Ivskinio,  of  whose  skill   an  (.sample   is 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STRtET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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440 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


given  in  the  view  of  Godthaab  reproduced  in  this 
vohune.  Besides  these  evidences  of  civiHzation  tliere 
is  a  brewery,  where  a  good  quality  of  small  beer  is 
brewed,  a  cooper  shop  and  general  store,  such  as  is  to 
be  found  in  all  the  settlements  of  the  Danish  possession. 

At  Godthaab  the  explorers  saw  for  the  first  time  since 
their  arrival  in  (ireenland  some  of  our  familiar  domestic 
animals.  These  were  goats,  chickens  and  pigeons. 
The  first  roaniec'  the  hills  and  furnished  the  milk  supply 
of  the  settletUL-nt.  and  the  latter  have  quarters  assigned 
them  in  sundrs  cosy  little  barns  erected  for  their  housing 
and  for  the  storage  of  hay  for  the  goats  during  the  winter. 
The  Danish  residents,  while  glad  of  being  able  to  rear 
goats  successfully,  yet  bemoan  the  fact  that  the  climate 
is  too  severe  and  vegetation  too  sparse  to  allow  them  to 
keep  cows,  these  animals  not  thriving  north  of  Julian- 
shaab,  near  the  southern  limit  of  Greenland. 

Within  forty  miles  of  Godthaab,on  the  cliffs  bordering  a 
long  deep  fiord,  where  it  is  protected  from  the  fierce  winter 
winds,  the  .Ibics  orioitalis,  a  species  of  spruce,  grows  to 
a  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet.  This  is  its  northern  limit 
in  Greenland  ;  above  this  point  there  are  no  hard-wood 
plants  except  dwarf-willows,  dwarf-birches  and  a  species 
of  huckleberry.  As  at  everywhere  else  on  the  coast  line, 
however,  other  vegetation  in  the  shape  of  mosses,  grasses 
and  blooming  plants  abound  during  the  summer  months. 

All  of  the  white  inhabitants  of  (lodthaab,  the  in- 
spector and  his  family,  the  governor  and  his  wife,  the 
lieutenant  governor  and  family,  the  go-  ernor's  private 


mmmim 


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THE  PEARY  RELIEE  EXPEDITION. 


443 


secretary,  besides  the  pastor  of  the  Danisli  cliurch 
and  liis  family,  and  the  doctor  and  his  family,  are  i)e()ple 
of  the  highest  cnlture,  speaking  several  languages 
fluentl)',  and  each  interested  in  some  branch  of  science. 
Those  of  the  party  who  had  been  favored  with  an  in\i- 
tatiou  to  dine  at  the  inspector's  found  in  the  person  of 
his  accomplished  wife  a  lady  whose  doings  has  been 
chronicled  in  books  of  Arctic  travel.  vShe  was  one  of 
the  two  mentioned  by  Doctor  Hayes  in  his  book  called 
"  The  Land  of  Desolation"  who  accompanied  that  ex- 
plorer on  an  alleged  dangerous  trip  to  the  ice-cap  on  the 
Island  of  Disko,  near  (iodhavn,  where  the  two  ladies 
were  then  living.  She  is  the  mother  now  of  .several 
boys  and  a  girl,  the  latter  of  whom  is  just  budding 
into  a  charming  womanhood. 

The  evening  was  spent  by  the  entire  party  at  the  hou.se 
of  the  governor,  where  he  and  his  wife  entertained  them 
with  the  greatest  possible  cordiality.  Just  before  her 
guests  departed  Madam  Raumann  sang  in  English,  and 
with  a  sweet,  sympathetic  voice,  the  air  of  "  Long,  Long 
Ago."  Although  the  brave  little  woman  smiled  and 
chatted  merrily  enough,  there  was  something  in  her  \oice 
like  a  longing  for  home  and  the  association  of  her  kindred 
which  was  touching,  and  when,  after  good  nights  had 
been  exchanged,  the  voyagers  were  being  rowed  by  eight 
sturdv  Eskimos  to  their  good  ship,  and  they  saw  the 
full  moon  .shedding  her  mild  light  over  the  silent  waters 
for  the  first  time  since  leaving  Xewfoundland  on  their 
northward  journey,    many    hearts   echoed    that  slight, 


II'., 


Vi 


I  ; 


444 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


scaicc'l\'  perceptible  tremor  of  homesickness  betrayed  by 
the  sinj^er. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  and  many  of  the  expedi- 
tion attended  divine  services  in  the  larj^e  church. 
IJefore  its  conchision  the  pastor  made  an  address  in 
English  and  uttered  thanksj^ivin<>-  that  the  expedition 
had  passed  safeh'  through  the  perils  of  the  far  North, 
praxed  for  the  party's  safe  return  to  their  homes  in 
America,  and  closed  by  reciting  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

The  next  morning,  IMonday,  September  5,  the  Kite 
sailed  away  for  vSt.  Johns.  Before  leaving  she  was 
taken  from  the  snug  little  harbor  and  brought  to  the 
ocean  front  in  full  view  of  the  settlement.  The  houses 
of  the  officials  were  decorated  with  bunting  and  flags 
waved  frcni  every  staff.  Then  after  the  departure  of  the 
Danish  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  had  come  on  board 
to  say  their  farewells,  amid  a  volley  of  ordnance  from 
the  shore,  the  Kite  slowly  started,  replying  vigorously  to 
the  salutes  with  her  little  cannon,  blowing  her  whistle 
and  dipping  her  colors,  her  passengers  meanwhile  vocif- 
erously cheering. 

The  kajakers  flitted  about  in  the  water  and  on  the 
shore  the  native  women  had  assembled  in  their  pictur- 
esque holiday  attire,  and  as  the  Kite  steamed  close  by  they 
sang  a  sweet  farewell  song.  The  rich  melody  of  this 
air  lingered  in  the  hearts  of  the  party  long  after 
Greenland's  rocky  coast  had  faded  in  the  distance,  and  it 
touched  them  greatly.  It  was  a  beautiful  finish  to  their 
visit  to  the  land  which  had  been  to  them  one  long  delight. 


Ill 


■':;  i 


gUgigl 


C  H  A  P  T  Iv  R    X  \'  1 1  I . 

TiiK  "KiTH's"  r.irosT.— Thic  Rktikn  to  St.  Joir.NS.  — Diu-aktikk 

I-OR  I'HII,AI)];i<PHI.\.  — TlIIC  TrUMPHAI,  I'KOCKSSKiN  II'  THK 
DKr.AWARK.  —  RKCEPTION  HV  Till'  ACAOKMV  OK  NaTIRAi, 
vSciKXCES. 

A  FICW  hours  after  the  Kite  had  bc<rtin  her  jotirncy 
-^~^  to  St,  Johns,  a  j^ale  arose  wliich  lasted  for  a 
couple  of  days.  It  was  not  a  severe  one,  however,  and 
only  caused  the  revival  of  certain  stories  which  some  time 
before  had  been  in  circulation  amono;-  the  crew  that  the 
Kite  was  haunted.  The  jrhost  who  it  was  claimed  had 
taken  up  his  quarters  on  board  ship  was  described  as  a 
huskie,  or  male  B!skimo,  and  appears  to  have  boarded 
the  vessel  some  time  durinir  her  voya<^e  liack  from 
Smith  Sound  to  ]\IcCormick  Bay.  He  was  first  seen 
by  one  of  the  sailors  whose  "trick  "it  was  at  the  wheel, 
and  the  wraith  was  described  by  the  man  as  having 
come  gliding-  aft  and  insisting  on  helping  him  steer.  The 
man  declared  that  he  was  not  afraid  of  the  apparition, 
which  seized  the  spokes  of  the  wheel  like  an  old  sailor 
and  generalh-  permitted  its  motions  to  be  guided  bv  the 
living  helmsman.  Twice,  however,  when  the  latter 
attempted  to  port,  the  ghost  insisted  on  putting  it  hard 
to  starboard,  and  the  sailor  gave  way.  In  both  instances 
it  seems  the  sailor's  acquiescence  in  the  ghost's  ai)i)arent 

445 


B 


446 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


m 


whim  had  l)ecn  fortunate,  for,  as  he  soleninl\-  affirmed, 
each  time  had  tlie  lielm  been  ported,  the  Kite  wouhl  have 
run  into  a  lars^e  iceberi;'.  The  huskie  .L;host,  ne\erthe- 
less,  was  not  al\va>s  as  useful  as  he  seems  to  have  been 
on  this  occasion,  but  on  the  contrary  was  inclined  to 
niischievousuess,  for  various  other  members  of  the  crew 
declared  that  they  had  seen  him  dancing-  in   the  most 


THK   I.AST  ICKHICRG. 

ridicidous  and  uu-Eskinio-like  fashion  on  the  casing  of 
the  boiler.  Often  it  happened,  so  the  sailors  said,  that 
boxes  and  barrels  were  thrown  about  the  deck  in  the 
greatest  confusion  without  interference  of  any  visible 
natural  agency,  and  when  the  sea  was  as  smooth  as  a 
mill  pond,  and  one  man  swore  that  the  ghost  had  once, 
when  field  ice  was  all  around  the  ship,  clambered  to  the 


; 


if 


•n 


THE  PEARY  REIJEE  EXPEPmON. 


447 


crow's  nest,  at  the  toj)  of  the  foix-niast,  ami  signaled  to 
the  man  (jn  watch  to  come  down. 

What  re\'ived  the  stories  of  this  ])iank-i)layin,^-  huskie, 
ho\ve\er,  was  that  once,  dnring'  the  i^ale,  tlie  fireman  on 
dnt\-  had  come  on  deck  for  a  l)reath  of  air,  leaving'  the 
furnace  doors  ti<,ditly  shut  and  tlie  steam  at  seventy 
pounds  iM'essnre.  I'ive  minutes  later,  on  return in_u;  to  his 
dut\-,  he  found  one  of  the  doors  wide  open  and  the  steam 
<;^au}^e  lowered  In'  fifteen  pounds.  As  the  door  coidd 
only  be  opened  by  the  exertion  of  considerable  force  and 
stren,<j;th,  and  as  no  one  had  been  near  the  jilace  to  do 
this  thin<4,  the  act  was  unanimously  placed  to  the  account 
of  til.'  wraith  by  the  whole  crew.  He  was  a  .ijood,  honest 
l^host,  however,  and  did  not  seriously  molest  anybody 
and  (generally  appeared  to  keep  "himself  to  himself," 
so  that  after  a  while  little  or  no  notice  was  taken  of  him, 
whereat,  probably,  the  spook  became  disgusted  and 
deserted  the  ship. 

On  Sunday,  September  ii,  we  arrived  at  St.  Johns. 
It  was  piteous,  the  sight  of  the  blackened,  charred  ruins 
of  that  picturesque  little  city  on  the  hillside.  The 
awful  fire  which  had  destroyed  it  had  broken  otit  on  July 
8,  three  days  after  the  sailing  of  the  A'i/c  for  Arctic  watens, 
and  raged  until  fully  three-fourths  of  the  place  was  laid 
in  ashes.  The  sight  of  its  ruins  was  the  first  news  we  had 
of  the  occurrence  and  there  was  deep  anxiety  expressed 
by  all  on  board  for  the  crew,  because  many  of  them, 
as  well  as  some  of  the  officers,  had  their  homes  in  the 
city.     All,  however,  had  escaped  the  calamit\-  save  two, 


11 


H' 


if: 

t 


% 


448 


/.\'  ARCT/C  s/-:.is. 


Larry  Ilackc-tl,  llir  sttward,  and  Jolin  Ciiiiniii.i^hain,  one 
1)1"  the  firt-'iiKn.  Tlifsi-  two  fotuul  i1k'\  had  losl  house  and 
hoiiK',  their  clothiii,!^-  and  housrhold  ruriiiturc  ;  all  they 
I)ossessed  in  the  world  in  fact,  and  that  their  families 
had  barely  escajied  with  tlieir  li\i.s.  ( )n  I.arry  Ilaekett 
partieularh'  the  blow  fell  hea\-ily,  for  not  only  was  the 
liouse  he  li\'ed  in  his  own,  but  he  is  well  ad\aneed  in 
years. 

Hut  the  calamity  which  had  fallen  so  hea\-ily  on  the 
people  of  St.  Johns  did  not  prevent  them  from  .nixing 
the  A'//t'  and  her  passengers  a  ro\al  reception.  I'Mags 
and  bunting  were  run  to  the  masthead  of  nearly  e\ery 
ship  in  the  harbor,  and  the  large  crowds  on  the  wharves 
greeted  her  arrival  with  rousing  cheers.  Long  before 
she  was  brought  to  the  wharf  numbers  of  peoi^le  had 
come  out  in  row-boats  and  boarded  her.  Then  jolly  old 
Captain  Pike  learned,  for  the  first  time,  the  startling 
news  that  he  was  dead,  and  Mr.  Murpln'  in  command, 
and  the  members  of  the  two  expeditions  discovered  that 
the  AVA'  had  been  nipped  in  the  ice  and  wrecked  and 
that  they  were  having  a  hard  time  of  it  on  the  bleak 
shores  of  Cireenland.  The  intelligence  of  the  death 
of  Captain  Pike  had  been  brought  to  vSt.  Johns  1)y 
a  Dundee  whaler,  and  the  other  ])ieces  of  news  came 
from  Halifax.  The  finding  of  Captain  Pike  still 
in  the  flesh  and  directing  the  sturd\-  old  vessel  in 
safety  homeward  was  therefore  the  occasion  of  great 
joy  and  congratulation,  for  he  is  well  beloved  in  St. 
Johns. 


Ull  i 


tm 


I 


o 
•n 


V. 

V. 


tr 


.^;:=aiMMH 


mm 


i   ♦ 


II'. 


i 


77//-;  PEARY  REl.mr  liXrEniTION. 


45' 


The  lia]))))'  return  and  disapproval  i)f  tlu'  stories  of 
disaster  prol)a1)ly  heli)ed  to  influence  the  reach'  con- 
sent which  the  owners  of  the  Kitr  j^^ave  to  Professor 
Ileilprin's  request  to  take  her  to  Philadelphia,  and  of 
concludinj^  the  voyaji^e  there  instead  of  at  vSt.  Jc^hns. 
Immediately  on  j^aininjj;-  this  consent  Professor  Heil])rin 
telejj^raphed  the  news  to  Mr.  (iavin  \V.  Hart,  of  the 
Peary  Relief  Committee  of  the  Aoarlemy  of  Natural 
Sciences  and  requested  him  to  secure,  if  possible,  free 
wluirfaj^e.  In  less  than  four  hours  lliat  j^aMitleman 
wired  a  reply  announciuj^  that  Mr.  Clement  X.  llrisccm, 
President  of  the  International  Xavi^ai;  .ti  Company, 
had  j^enerously  placed  one  of  the  couqjauy's  wharves  at 
the  disposal  of  the  I\iU\ 

By  this  time  the  news  of  the  safe  arrival  of  the  ex- 
peditious in  St.  Johns  had  been  sent  all  over  the  United 
States  and  Europe,  and  Professor  Heilprin  and  I^ieut. 
Peary,  as  well  as  every  member  of  the  two  parties,  were 
flooded  with  telegrams  of  congratulation  from  relatives 
and  friends  and  people  interested  in  the  inulertakiug. 
^lany  letters  were  found  in  St.  Johns  by  the  members  of 
the  relief  party  which  had  been  coming  regularh-  from 
their  folks  at  home,  and  these  accumulations  of  news 
were  eagerly  read  by  the  recipients,  their  bright  faces 
showing  the  happiness  their  contents  gave. 

Two  or  three  days  were  required  to  put  on  coal  and 
additional  supplies  for  the  ship  before  sailing,  and  these 
days  were  fully  occupied  in  attending  the  numerous  in- 
formal receptions    and  dinners  given  in   honor  of  the 


ill' 


452 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


i'> 


sw 


parties.  It  sctiiud  almost  as  tli()U<;h  tli'-  jx-'oplc  of  St. 
Johns  liad  filtered  into  a  conspiracy  to  kill  the  re- 
turned explorers  with  kindness  and  hospitalit)-,  so  that 
it  was  well,  perhaps,  for  the  latter's  relatives,  that  on 
Wednesday  afternoon,  .September  14,  the  Kite  was  in 
readiness  to  de]xii  t.  At  fi>nr  o'clock  on  that  afternoon 
the  \-esscl  left  her  wharf  and  was  soon  on  the  hea\-in,i;- 
Atlantic  steaminj;-  at  full  speed  for  Philadelphia.  I'or 
twciity-fonr  hours  she  made  a  good  rnn,  when  a  ron<j;-h 
sea  arose  and  she  slackened  her  ])ace,  and  the  next  three 
days  the  average  was  no  more  than  fonr  knots  an  hour, 
which  caused  some  of  the  Xewfonndland  sailors  to  ex- 
press the  opinion  that  the  .St.  Johns  girls  were  lu)lding 
her  back,  and  that  the  riiiladelphia  girls  had  not 
yet  heard  of  her  coining.  IJx-and-b)-,  however,  the 
sea  went  down  and  then  the  members  of  the  exiieditioii 
had  their  turn,  and  the\- jo\fnlly  declared  that  the  hearts 
of  the  Philadelphia  girls  wt're  now  in  their  work  and 
were  towing  the  ship  with  their  sweethearts  at  right 
good  speed  towards  home.  It  is  a  pretty  sentiment, 
this  sa\ing  of  the  Xewfonndland  sailors. 

( )n  Thnrsdas'  afternoon.  .September  23,  a  pilot  boat  was 
sighted  and  soon  after,  when  fort\-lliree  miles  from  the 
Imnc  P'atliom  .Slioal  light-ship,  pilot  II.  \\.  Church,  of 
boat  Xo.  3,  came- on  board.  ile  congratulated  all  hands 
on  their  retnrn  and  informed  them  that  a  rousing  recep- 
tion was  being  ])repared  for  them  in  I'hiladelphia.  P>y 
sixo' clock  the  P>reak\v.iter  was  leached.  Ik  re  quarantine 
officers  came  on   board,  and   afli'r  a  short   examination 


mm 


mmmssssm 


*  I 


Tim  JUiARY  Ri:i.Il-h-  EXPI'.DITION.         4:^3 

allowed  lliL'  xcssc'l  to  ])ri>cc(.(l.  At  this  point  the  v()\- 
ai^vrs  had  a  foretaste  of  the  .L^reetiii^-  the\-  were  soon  to 
j^c't.  As  the  Kile  l)e^rln  to  nio\e  ii[)  the  bay  inion^  the 
inan\-  steam  and  sailin;;-  craft  the  former  he.i^ai'  blowin.i;- 
their  whistles,  and  those  on  hoard  the  sailini:^  \-essels 
their  fo^-  lu^nis,  while  lla.i^s  were  dipjjed  in  e\er\-  direc- 
tion. 'Pile  Kill'  resj)on(led  rii^ht  ,iL;allantly  to  each,  and 
it  was  a  l)ns\-  time  for  the  men  it  the  whistle  and  en- 
si.i^n  halyards  for  the  next  hour  or   two. 

At  three  o'clock  of  the  niornin,^-  of  the  twent\-fonrth 
tlie  Kile  arrived  off  Chester,  where  she  la\-  until  da\  li,!L;ht, 
^vhen  more  quarantine  officers  came  aboard  and  ,i;avc 
permission  to  continue  the  \-o\a^e,  at  the  same  time 
liandini^-  Professor  Ileilprin  a  telegram  announcing  the 
coming-  of  a  tu,^  to  escort  the  returning;  expedition  to 
Philadelphia. 

As  soon  as  the\-  had  learned  that  the  expedition  had 
left  vSt.  Johns  and  was  proceediuL;  to  Philadelphia  the 
members  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  .Sciences  had  be«;un 
acti\-e  preparations  to  accord  it  a  proper  reception.  The 
committee  which  had  assisted  Professor  Ileilprin  in 
fitlin^L;- out  the  relief  expedition  secured  the  tn^;"  l.illii'  .1/. 
(irn/iaiii,  proi)osin,i;-  to  <;-o  down  the  ri\er  to  nu'et  the 
/\'//(-  innnediately  upon  recei\-in^'  ann<inncenieut  of  her 
arri\-al  at  tlie  Iheakwater.  The\-  iu\ited  about  thirt\- 
.quests,  comprising;-  the  ofncer>  of  tlie  academ\,  the 
members  of  the  West  (ireenlaud  Ivxpedition,  seveial  of 
the  contributors  to  the  relief  fund  and  some  of  the 
near(.>t  relatues  of  tlie  nturniuL;  \'o\aL;(.rs,  to  accompanv 


0^-S5^S: 


i^ 


11'^ 


% 


454 

IN 

ARCTIC 

•  SEAS 

tliem.    The  police  tu, 

r  Stok/ry 

had  l)een  kindh 

Pl 

aced  at 

the 

disposal  of 

the  press  for  a 

similar 

purpose 

by 

Direc- 

tor 

of    Public 

SafetN 

,  Abraham   ;\I.  I 

5eitler. 

Tl 

le  A'ifr 

was 

reported 

ate  in 

the  evening  of 

September 

23,  too 

late  for  her  to 

make 

her  landing  that 

night,  but 

shortly 

after  eight  o'clock,  on  the  following  morning,  tlr^  tugs 
started  from  Walnut  street  wharf,  and  steamed  down  the 
river.  At  twenty  minutes  past  nine  o'clock,  when  a  short 
distance  below  Lincoln  I'ark,  the  Ki/c  was  seen  coming 
up  the  river  in  full  holiday  attire,  her  rigging  gaily 
trimmed  with  flags,  and  the  American  ensign  floating 
from  the  foremast,  above  the  crow's  nest.  Her  steam 
whistle  was  keeping  up  an  endless  series  of  shrieks  in 
reply  to  the  salutes  from  the  numerous  craft  passing 
down  the  stream  to  the  sea.  When  the  tugs  came  near 
enough  for  those  on  board  to  recognize  their  friends  a 
cheer  went  up  which  echoed  from  shore  to  shore,  and 
then  began  an  exchange  of  cries  of  welcome,  of  love  and 
joy  between  fathers  and  sons,  and  husbands  and  wives  and 
children.  The  Lil/ic  M.  (iraliaiti  was  brought  to  the 
starboard  side  of  the  Kilv  and  made  fast,  and  the  first  to 
spring  on  board  and  run  sobbing  into  the  outstretched 
arms  of  their  father  were  the  little  daughters  of  the  one 
married  man  of  the  relief  expedition.  In  a  few  moments 
more  the  deck  was  covered  with  little  groups  of 
the  friends  and  kindred  of  the  returned  voyagers. 
Mothers  had  their  boys,  sisters  their  brothers  in  fond 
embrace,  overflowing  with  thankfulness  for  their  safe 
retm-n. 


Hi 


THE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


455 


led 
)ne 
iits 
of 
rs. 
lud 
,afe 


Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Peary  and  Professor  Heilpriu  had 
stationed  themselves  aft,  and  the  visitors  crowded  around 
them  with  enthusiastic  <;rectin}^-. 

Meanwhile  the  police  tu^i^;  Stoklcy  had  been  made  fast 
to  the  port  side  of  the  Kile,  and  thus  escorted,  the  <iallant 
little   vessel  continued  her  triumphant  journey  up  the 


'f'^ltt^lf^ 

j||L'^fll|H^H 

^ 

1 

Ifek^ 

\ 

/  , 

IiU.    I',    A.    C'dOK. 

river.  Nois\'  as  was  the  welcome,  the  A7/<'  bravely  t;ave 
back  sound  for  sound.  livery  vessel  that  passed  saluted. 
Boat-whistles  shrieked  and  tooted,  fo.tr-horns  were  blown 
and  colors  di])ped.  On  the  shores  locomotives  and  fic- 
tory  whistles  joined  the  din,  cannon  boomed,  sky-rockets 
hissed  and  exploded,  and  the  thousaiuls  of  peojile  who 
blackened  the  wharves  tilled  the  air   with  their  hurrah. 


if: 


;  ■  a 


'I 


45''' 


/A^  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


At  length  Pier  4/)  was  readied,  and  licre  tlie  excite- 
ment which  followed  the  nieetini^  of  the  tn<4-hoats  below 
Lincoln  Park  was  renewed.  A  larj^e  crowd  of  welconiin<; 
friends  who  conlu  not  be  acconnnodated  on  the 
tu<;-  were  there  waitinjr,  and  scarcely  had  the  Kite  been 
made  fast  to  the  wharf  when  her  deck  was  overrnn  by 
an  enthnsiastic  mnltitnde.  Every  detail  of  the  A'itCs 
appointments  seemed  of  interest  to  them,  they  swarmed 
into  her  little  saloon,  ])ee])ed  into  the  forecastle  ;  her 
sin<;nlar  feature,  the  crow's  nest,  was  an  object  of  uni- 
versal attracticMi,  while  Captain  Pike  was  simply  over- 
whelmed with  attentions.  Then  there  were  Arctic 
costumes  and  the  numerous  other  curiosities  and 
trophies  to  be  inspected,  and  items  of  news  to  be 
exchan<>;ed.  Each  member  of  the  party  had  his  own 
interested  audience  ea<j^er  to  slather  every  po.ssible  detail 
of  his  late  experiences,  and  it  was  not  until  far  into  the 
afternoon  that  the  exjilorers  were  able  to  get  ashore  and 
speed  away  to  their  .several  homes. 

On  the  evening  of  September  28,  the  Academy  of 
Natural  Sciences  gave  Lieut,  and  Mrs.  Peary  a  recep- 
tion, and  included  in  the  honor  the  other  members  of 
the  acadenn's  (rreenland  exploring  expeditions  and  the 
members  of  the  relief  expedition. 

The  hall  was  handsomely  decorated  with  palms  and 
other  plants,  and  here  and  there  were  trophies  of  the 
numerous  expeditions  of  the  academy.  In  a  prominent 
position  was  placed  the  sled  used  by  Lieut.  Peary  in  his 
1300-mile  journey    over    the   ice-cap   to   the    northern 


II- 


Kl\'AKn   ASTRUP. 


■  ( 


Ih 


Mi 


m 


THE  PEARY  RELIEE  EX/>E/)/TION.         459 

coast.  At  tlK'  western  end  of  tlie  hall  was  a  screen  of 
palms,  with  the  silk  Ha-  carried  by  I.ient.  Pearv  to 
Independence  I5ay,  planted  before  it.  Dependinn-  fn.ni 
a  pillar  was  the  American  ension  carried  by  the  k'//c 
on  the  relief  expedition.  It  bore  these  initials: 
"  P.  R.  K." 

Nearly  1200  people,  represcntin,!;^  every  branch  of 
professional  and  bnsiness  life,  crowded  into  the  library 
hall,  and  when  IJent.  and  Mrs.  Peary  reached  the  aca- 
demy, they  were  met  In-  Dr.  Samnel  (;.  Dixon,  Chair- 
man of  the  Sub-connnittee  of  the  Reception  Connnittce. 

Dr.  Dixon  presented  .Mrs.  Pear>-  with  a  bcantifnl 
bnnch  of  American  P,eaut\-  roses.  She  was  then 
presented  to  General  I.  J.  Wistar,  the  president  of  the 
acadeniN-.  Cienera!  Wistar  escorted  .Mrs.  Peary,  fol- 
lowed by  Professor  J.  B.  Hrinton  and  Dr.  Dixon.  :\Ir. 
Cxavin  W.  Hart  escorted  Lieut.  Peary,  and  (jther  mem- 
bers of  the  Reception  Connnittee  followed  with  Profes- 
sor Heilprin  and  members  of  the  Pear\-  Relief  Kxi)e- 
dition. 

Arrived  at  the  end  of  the  hall  the  part\-  was  met  by 
the  lady  mend)ers  of  the  Reception  Committee,  with 
Ivient.  Peary's  mother,  and  Mrs.  Diebitsch  and  Miss 
Diebitsch,  Mrs.  Pear\\s  mother  and  sister. 

Standino-  beneath  the  fla-  that  had  been  unfurled 
to  the  breezes  of  Independence  Iia\-  on  Julv  4,  i.Sg2, 
Ivieut.  Peary  and  his  intrepid  wife  recei\ed  the  con- 
gratulations which  were  showered  upon  them.  Lieut. 
Peary  wore   the    full   dress   uniform  of   his   rank,    and 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 

accejitfd  the  compliments  with  iK'coininjf  modesty.  Hut 
Mrs.  I'eary,  in  a  gown  of  brocaded  black  satin,  with 
feather  and  lace  trimmings,  was  the  cynosnre  for  all 
eyes.  She  carried  the  bunch  of  roses  given  her  b\-  Dr. 
Dixon  and  was  radiant  with  smiles,  looking  the  pictin-e 
of  health  and  haiij^ness. 

It  was  a  most  brilliant  entertainment,  a  fitting  close 
to  the  most  snccessfnl  of  the  many  exploring  expedi- 
tions into  Arctic  seas  which  have  gone  ont  under  the 
anspices  of  the  Academy  of  Xatnral  Sciences. 


■;):: 


!|i 


,:■         «,>l.««.-.->^-„..«.,. 


APPENDIX  I. 


THE  PEARY-VERHOEFF  CORRESPONDEXCE, 

and  othkr  mattkrs  rklyatinc.  to 
John  M.  Vkrhoeik,  thk  Mishinc.  Mkmhkr  ok  thk  Pi-ary  Xurth 

GrEKNI.AND    ICXI'KDITION. 

A  AIONCt  the  first  to  approach  Lieut.  Peary  when  the 
-^~^  AV/r  Iiad  landed  at  her  wharf  at  Philadelphia 
was  .Miss  .Alattie  Verhoeff,  the  sister  of  John  M.  \'er- 
hoeff,  the  niissin<r  mineralogist  of  the  North  (Greenland 
Expedition.  When  Lieut.  Peary  saw  her  ai^proaching, 
he  took  off  his  hat  and  bowed.  In  a  moment  IVIiss 
Verhoeff  had  made  her  way  to  where  the  Lieutenant 
stood,  and  .said  : 

"Lieutenant  Peary,  I  want  to  ask  you  what  has 
become  of  my  brother?" 

"lam  sorry  to  say,"  replied  the  Lieutenant,  ''that 
he  is  not  on  board  the  vessel.  He  did  not  return 
with  U.S." 

"  Rut  where  is  he  ?"  asked  the  yomig  lad)-.  She  was 
very  much  excited  and  spoke  in  a  dramatic  manner. 
Her  relatives  made  an  effort  to  soothe  her,  but  .Miss 
Verhoeff  was  determined  to  pursue  her  inquirv.  The 
Lieutenant  gravely  expressed  his  sorrow  at  the  young 
man's  absence. 

461 


j  1 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


\l 


!,l 


'3 


"  Is  that  all  yon  can  say  to  nic?"  inquired  Miss  Ver- 
hoelT,  her  voice  qniverinjj^. 

At  this  point  her  relatives  spoke  to  her,  assnrin>>;  her 
that  evervthinj^  that  conld  l^e  had  been  done  for  her 
brother's  safety,  and  snjj^jTcsted  that  a  private  interview 
niiy^ht  be  ninch  more  satisfactory  to  her.  After  some 
moments  Miss  Verhoeff  was  cpiieted,  and  consented  to 
arran.y;e  for  a  later  interview  with  Lient.  Peary  that 
afternoon. 

The  re_y;ret  over  the  probable  loss  of  the  yoinip^  man 
— the  only  distrcssinj^  feature  of  the  entire  expedition, 
from  its  settin<^  out  in  1891  to  its  triumphant  return — is 
profound  and  universal,  as  is  only  natural,  and  it  is 
hei,ijhtened  by  the  expressed  belief  of  some  of  the 
returning  explorers  of  the  possibility  that  he  is  still 
amont>-  the  livinj^.  Tlie  opinion  has  even  been  ex- 
pressed that  the  missinj^  man  had  purposely  absented 
himself  when  the  time  came  for  the  departure  of  his  com- 
panions. The  basis  for  this  belief  is  very  sliji^ht,  but 
in  view  of  the  j^eneral  interest  in  the  case,  it  has  been 
considered  advisable  to  state  it  as  far  as  can  be. 

It  has  indeed  been  hinted,  on  what  foundation  of  fact 
may  not  be  known,  that  ]\Ir.  Verhoeff  was  di.ssatisfied 
with  the  part  assio^ned  to  him  in  the  expedition.  The 
fact  of  his  not  having  been  invited  to  accompany  Lieut. 
Peary  on  his  overland  journey  is  said  to  have  been  a  sore 
disappointment  to  him.  It  is  alleged  that  he  had  de- 
termined to  remain  behind  and  carry  on  an  exploration 
on  his  own  account,  and  fearing  that  he  would  be  forced 


TIIR  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION. 


463 


to  accompany  the  expedition  homeward,  and  his  ])nr- 
pose  thus  be  frustrated,  he  kept  himself  in  concealment 
until  it  had  sailed.  These  are,  however,  mere  matters 
of  rumor  and  conjecture.* 

All  that  can  be  su)>stantiated  is  that  Mr.  \'er- 
lioefF  did  inquire  of  one  (.r  more  of  the  party  whether 
it  was  likely  that  Lieut.  Peary  would  permit  any  of  the 
members  of  the  expedition  to  stay  if  they  chose  to  do 
so,  and  had  received  the  reply  that  under  no  circum- 
stances would  the  conunander  consent  to  such  a  pro- 
posal. It  seems  also  that  Mr.  VerhoefT  was  constantly 
practicinjj^  to  inure  himself  to  the  rigorous  climate  of 
North  Greenland.  In  the  first  part  of  this  volume  the 
story  is  related  how  he  swam  from  the  vessel  to  the  shore 
throu<j^h  icy  water.  When  tlie  Kite  met  the  whaleboat 
containinjj^  Dr.  Cook  and  Messrs.  (iibson  and  VerhoefT  at 
the  entrance  to  McCormick  Ray,  the  latter  was  the  only 
one  of  the  three  who  was  not  dressed  in  the  seal-  and 
reindeer-skin  clothin<;;^  supposed  to  be  indispensable  in 
the  hii^h  Arctic  reji^ions.  Readers  of  this  volume  will 
also  recall  his  feat  of  successfully  crossin<2^  the  danger- 
ous glacier  at  the  head  of  McCormick  Bay  in  midwinter. 
It  is  also  recounted  by  his  companions  that  he  sought  to 
accustom  himself  to  Eskimo  ways  of  living,  and  that 
he  was  the  only  member  of  the  expedition  who  suc- 
ceeded in  overcoming  a  white  man's  repugnance  against 
Arctic  diet. 

*Mr.  VerhoefT.  from  all  accounts,  seeiucil  pei  (ectly  content  and  niiicli  interested 
in  his  work  as  mineralogist  and  inttioroIoKist,  and  manifested  no  anxiety  to  be  one 
of  the  party  on  the  trip  across  the  inland  ice. 


IN  ARCTIC  SILIS. 


\[ 


r, 


I 


UIIkt  instances  of  liis  (ktirinincd  ciicrj^y  and  ;i  rhar- 
actcristic  tciiacitv  of  purpose-  in  ovcrconiinj^^  obstacles 
are  cited  1)\-  .i  <4entleinan  who  was  his  intimate  at  N'ale 
Collej^a'. 

"John  M.  N'erhoefT,"  sa\s  this  informant,  "was  the 
most  determined  chap  I  ever  saw.  Ilis  nature  woiUd 
brook  no  obstacle  in  the  wa\-  of  anythiuji^  he  nuule  up 
his  mind  to  do.  I'hysicalh'  he  was  splendidly  e(|nip])ed 
for  any  hardshi]).  He  was  one  of  the  stroui^est  fellows 
who  ever  attended  Yale,  juid  was  in  jicrfect  traininj;-  all 
the  time.  At  rumiinjf,  jiunpiu'^,  wrestlinj^-,  boxing,  or 
any  jMirsuit  which  involved  <^reat  strenjjjth  of  body  and 
pluck  he  was  amonjj;  the  first. 

"Mentally,  too,  he  was  a  j^enius.  He  was  always 
busyinj^  himself  with  .some  difficult  i)roblem,  and  the 
boys  at  collc<^e  all  thonj^ht  he  was  beyond  the  ordinary 
in  intelli.i,a'nce.  He  was  popular,  althon<,di  \er>-  peculiar 
and  in  some  respects  eccentric. 

"  I  will  ,u;ive  you  a  few  instances  which  show  how 
determined  he  was,  and  how  he  would  do  what  he  .set 
out  to  do,  no  matter  what  happened  to  ju'event.  On  one 
occasion  he  started  from  New  London  to  ride  to  Louis- 
ville on  his  bicvcle.  He  was  one  of  the  best  lonu-dis- 
tance  riders  this  country  ever  turned  out.  Xo  one 
heard  of  him  for  a  month.  Then  his  uncle  in  Louis- 
ville received  a  letter  from  him  dated  froni^  .some  hamlet 
in  Viro;inia.  vSub.sequent  inquiries  developed  that  he 
was  set  upon  by  a  hutj^e  bulldo<j  while  leaninj>-  over  a 
ptnup  in  the  yard  of  a  farm-hou.se  and  torn  up  by  the 


riih:  ri'iARY  rei.ii.i'  r.xni-.nri ion. 


•if'.S 


Ihow 

set 

one 

)uis- 

•dis- 

OllC 

;mis- 
Imlet 
|t  lie 
K-r  a 
the 


aniiiKil  in  tt-rribk'  fashion,  lli'  had  lain  down  iheiv  for 
two  weeks  unahle  In  write.  When  hi-  wasahle  to  lra\el 
he  finished  the  joniney. 

"  ( )ne  of  ihi'  htsl  instances  of  WiIkhIT's  detennin- 
alitin  was  one  winter  while  he  was  at  eollej^e.  He  was 
one  of  a  nnmherof  hoys  thai  li\ed  in  a  \\'\\^\  lhree-slor\- 
house  near  a  enl  in  the  railroad.  Dnrinj^  the  hli/./anl 
in  >hireh,   iSSS,  the  snow  had  drifted  in  this  cnl  niilil  it 


was  as 


liiuh  as  the  roof  of  the  honse.      V'erhoelT  made 


IS 


\va,^er  that  he  co'.dd  jninp  into  the  drift  and  make  h 
wa\  onl  alone.  Il  was  accepted,  and  he  i)lnnL;ed  out  of 
si.y;ht  in  the  soft  snow.  lie  was  nnder  so  Itm^  that  llie' 
l)o\s  thon.ii.^ht  he  must  he  smothered,  and,  allei'  hard 
work,  the\-  (hiiu  hini  ont.  WrhoelT  was  the  nmsl  hijL;hI\ 
enra.i^ed  man  when  rescued  you  e\er  saw.  He  ^aid  \w 
could  ha\e  aecom])lished  what  he  tried  lo  do  if  he  had 
been  let  alone.  I  le  was  determined  to  ])erforui  llu.'  feat, 
hut  his  com])anions  would  not  allow  il.  !')>•  tlie  next 
da\-  the   snow  had   blown  out  of  the   cut,  and   \'erh 


oe: 


d   th 


f 


)lish 


was  denied   tiie   pleasure  oi    accomi)iisinn]H'  nis  danni^ 
e.\])loit." 

Xo  attempt  is  made  in  this  ])lace  to  draw  any  conclu- 
si(jns  or  do  more  than  state  the  facts  known  and 
oi)inions  expressed   which  may  lielj)  explain  the   feelin*^ 


)f  tl 


lose  wlio    hellexe 


tl 


le  Nonn<'-  man 


to  be  still   ali\e. 


The  story  of  the  search  for  the  niissiuj^^  mend)er  of  the 
part\'  is  related  fnll\-  in  its  a]-)propriate  chapter  in  the 
body  of  this  volume.  After  the  search  was  «j;iven  ni),  a 
certificate  was  drawn  up  and  sijj^ned  by  Cai)tain  Pike  and 

30 


v 


M' 


f        1 

I' 


llu'  lirst  oiliriT  of  tlir  A'/A  ,  wliit'li  has  lain  U'prodiU'i'd 
and  is  L^i\(.n  Iicrrwilli. 

At  tlir  coiK'lnsioii  (if  lur  iiikr\ii\v  with  Kinil.  Peary, 
«)ii  which  ()(-casi(in  the  xmhiim  ]:u]\  was  at'coiiipaiiiid  1)\' 
luriiiudt',  ihr  l\i'\.  A.  \\".  KtiL^wiii,  Miss  Wrhdi  If  assiirrd 
Liiail.  I\ar\  thai  shr  was  sati-.tU'il  that  tArrythin^  had 
Iktii  doiu'  that  was  in  ihrii'  ])(iwri-,  Ixitli  h\-  liis  own 
I)art\' and  llu'  partNof  \'vt>l.  I  Iiil]iriii,  Id  tiiid  hir  iiiissiiiL;- 
1)n>thri-.       'I'hr  saiiir  asMiraiUT  was  L;i\rii  h\   hrr  uiick-. 

liiilh  n\  iIk'iu,  howt'xrr,  prrsist  in  tlicir  lirliff  that 
\'(.'rh(H'l"r  is  still  ali\r,  and  if^ard  llu'  prdofs  of  his  drath 
as  inroiudusiw. 

TIr'  Ki.\-.  Mr.  Kti  ',win,  wlun  .s])()krn  to  on  thr  snl)- 
jt'Ct  slioilK-  atU'V  llu'  nu'i-tin^,  .said  : 

"  I  was  wry  nmch  inipiissrd  with  nu  inlcrvifw  with 
Lieut.  lVar\-,  and  am  t'on\  ini-fd  that  hr  did  all  that  was 
in  hnnian  power  to  lind  Wrhoitf;  and  while  he  1)(.'lie\ed 
tlial  he  was  lost.  \et  Ik  inL^  aware  that  there  were  nieni- 
bcrs  of  the  parl\'  who  thoui;ht  otlurwisi.',  he  i^ave  the 
case  the  hiaietit  of  the  donht,  and  left  ani])le  provisions 
for  his  subsistence  for  eighteen  months. 

"  .\s  he  e\])resseil  it,  '  there  was  one  chance  in  a  thou- 
sand that,  lu'  niinht  l)e  alixi-,'  and  he  acted  as  if  that  one 
chance  mi^ht  fall  to  Wrhoeff 

"  Lieut.  I'eary  said  that  Mr.  WrhoelT  was  one  of  the 
most  conscientious  men  he  had  ewr  known,  and,  kuow- 
iii<.j  hiui  as  such,  thon^^ht  that  if  it  liad  l)een  his  inten- 
tion to  liaxe  remained  hehind  in  the  Arctic  regions  he 
would    liave    told    him    or  some  of  the   iiart\-,  and   tlius 


'hi 


as 


•^••©TincAiE^r^cARai  roRVcRnGErC'<- 


iccc^ 


^v^' 


¥ 


iienaitiam 


TffE  PEA R  Y  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.         469 

spared  tlicin  tlie  trouble  of  the  searcli.  lie  acknowl- 
edo-ed  that  several  members  of  the  ])art\-  had  told  liiiu 
that  Verhoeff  had  inquired  the  probability  of  Peary  allow- 
in,^-  any  of  the  party  who  wished  to  to  remain  in  (Green- 
land. Every  one  of  them  told  Verhoeff  that  they  thonght 
that  Peary  wonld  under  no  consideration  permit  it. 

''  He  asserted  that  Verhoeff  was  the  only  member  of 
the  jxartN-  who  was  capable  of  niakin.^-  nieteorolo<;ical 
investi.o;ations  at  Red  Cliff  House  in  a  scientific  and  satis- 
factory manner,  and  that  he  had  left  him  behind  when 
he  had  oone  on  the  northern  expedition  on  that  account." 

The  followino-  interestin.":  letter  was  sent  b\-  Mr.  \'er- 
hoeff's   uncle   to  the  author  at  the  moment  of  L^oin*>-  to 
jiress  : 
I)K.    R.    X.    Khki.v,  Jr. 

Ihar  Sir : — luiclosed  please  find  all  the  letters  that 
we  have  of  Verhoeff,  with  a  letter  to  you  personalh-  from 
.Aliss  V. 

Verhoeff  was  not  "  ra-1.  "  or  "  foolhardy."  He  care- 
fulh-  worked  himself  up  to  points  that  would  be  to  others 
rash  to  undertake.  P)Ut  he  had  a  very  larye  amount  of 
caution,  and  lurcr J'aihit  because  he  knew  jx'rfectly  well 
what  he  could  accomplish  and  what  to  lea\e. 

I  suppose  \-ouwill  sa\- sometliino-  about  his  remaining- 
in  (rreenland.  We  do  not  ask  you  to  take  our  view,  but 
we  ask  you  to  consider  our  reasons  for  holdin,";-  it,  and 
then  state  \our  own,  l)ased  on  a  fair  consideration.* 

*  Tlif  aiitlicir  (loi's  iiDl  feil  i'.-|IU(l  Miimi  to  ilisfiiss  this  i|iu-tii)ii.  It  siiiii-.  ,|inle 
siifiicitiil  to  liiiii  to  i)ristiit  tlu- viiw-  1,1  Mi  Wiliocirs  rt  iMtivts.  ;i>  Kiviii  iii  tlie 
al)ovi' cli';ir  , -11111  loictrul  kllii .  k.  N.  K..  Jr. 


4? 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


It  ina\'  involve  a  .qrcat  deal  to  \'.  wlictlKi"  he  is 
believed  dead  or  alive  : 

First. — We  do  not  wish  the  public  to  think  that  he 
played  an  unmanly  trick  in  hidin_i;-  out.  It  would  not 
be  fair  to   the   part\"  if  he   had   done    so  without  o\er- 


I 


.Stcoiid.  —  It  nia\'  be  necessary  to  send  an  (.'xpedition  for 
hini.  ( )f  course  we  could  not  do  so  alone,  and  the  belief 
that  heisdcad  would  stand  in  the  wa>- of  secnriu.^'  funds. 

Iliini. — I  am  confident  that  if  his  life  is  spared,  he  will 
settle  fore\er  tlie  Arctic  ])rol)leni,  and  I  do  not  want  his 
report  invalidated  by  an\-  wrou^  impressions  of  his 
character.  He  was  ne\er  known  to  tell  a  falsehood 
from  earliest  childhood.  He  was  ver\'  conscientious. 
lie  was  fair  in  all  his  dealin,t;s.  He  had  two  eccentricities 
(the  only  two  I  know  of  ).  He  would  never  accept  a  fax'or. 
He  would  visit  nowhere,  because  he  alwa\s  wanted  to 
ixi\-  his  wa\-,  and  pa\'  for  exerythin^-  he  recei\ed. 

I-oiir/fi. — He  ne\er  seemed  to  think  that  it  made  an\- 
dilTerence  to  an\'  one  where  he  was.  He  would  ^o  and 
come  without  informing;-  any  one  of  his  uioxenients. 
Knowiii};  him,  as  we  do,  we  know  that  this  was  due  to 
a  self-depreciation  and  modesty  that  was  uatixe  to  his 
character.  He  never  boasted  of  any  achievi.'ment,  and 
ne\-er  seemed  to  care  whether  any  one  praised  or  blamed 
him.      He  rareh'  sjioke  of  himself. 

Now  for  the  reasons  jiro  and  con  for  belicvint;'  him 
dead.  The  only  reason  in  favor  oi  this  belief  is  he  was 
not  found. 


\ 


k 


i 


i 


THE  PEAR  Y  RELIEF  EX/'E/UT/ON.  471 

1.  TIr'  footsteps  seen  were  tar  tVoiii  any  (lan.^erons 
point,  and  cannot  be  considered  ;  besides  llie  ex'ident  baste 
of  tlie  leader  of  tbe  rebef  cxjiecHtion  to  return  wonld 
disconnt  any  sucli  e\-idence.  Xow  pnt  a<;ainst  tbis 
Verbocff's  lifc-lon<^  desire  to  .^o  as  far  nortli  as  possible  ; 
bis  years  of  preparation  and  bis  bein,!;-  left  in  camp  wben 
Lient.   Pear\-  went  nortb. 

2.  His  efforts  from  tbe  first  to  adapt  bis  life  to  tbe 
customs  of  tbe  nati\es. 

3.  His  askinj^'  if  any  one  would  1)e  allowed  to  remain 
wben  tbe  ])arty  returned. 

4.  His  ori,i(inal  '.KJtificatiou  to  Lieut.  Pear\-.  tbat  be 
would  <^et  Lv-/  (ireenland  if  be  bad  to  _<;i)  on  a  v.-baler. 

5.  His  apparent  indifference  about  i^oin.i;  nortb  with 
tlic  ioiiniiaiidcr  of  tbe  expedition.  Xo  one  of  tbe  party 
beard  bini  complain  tbat  be  w;is  left  bebiud. 

6.  His  returninji;-  after  fue  bours'  absence  to  (piiet 
Gib.son's  apprebensions,  m  case  be  tailed  to  return  for 
four  or  five  da\s. 

7.  His  leaviu!^-  bis  trunk  unlocked  wben  be  went  on 
tbe  expediti-  ii  to  In.^lcfield  (lulf  witb  Lieut.  I'ear\-. 

8.  His  kee])in,o-  witb  bini  (probabh-  secretin,;;-  near  tbe 
Red  Cliff  cam]i)  e\-er\-  nuinoraudum  book,  all  orii^iual 
memoranda  of  obser\"ations  of  temperatures,  tides,  etc.; 
all  bis  instruments  tbat  were  in  ^ockI  condition,  and 
leavin<2^  only  tbosc  broken  ar  dauia_^;e(l. 

9.  His  leaving-  in  bis  room  at  Red  ClifTonh-  tbe  clotb- 
inj;  tbat  was  absolutely  wortbless,  and  liidiuL; out  se\end 
suits  tbat  were  ^'ood,   togetber  witb   all   bis   underwear. 


472 


LY  ARCTIC  SKAS. 


\ 


These  reasons,  taken  in  connection  witli  liis  thoron.^h 
atliletic  traininj^  and  his  character  already  mentioned 
(which  makes  him  an  ideal  explorer,  thoron<;hly 
indilTerent  to  hardship,  and,  if  Non  please,  indiiTerent 
as  to  the  time  of  his  absence),  make  iIk-  proha- 
bilit\-  of  his  beinj^-  alive  at  the  time  the  A'/Vr  saik'd 
overwhelminii^  ;  cAcn  make  it  a  certainty. 

There  will  be  a  difference  of  opinion,  of  course,  as  to 
vvliether  he  was  justified  in  his  condnct.  One  tiling'- 
nnist  be  considered.  lie  did  his  work  well  and  faitli- 
fidly  to  the  day  when  the  exi)edition  closed  its  explora- 
tions. He  certainly  was  excusable  if  he  declined  to 
grace  the  trinmphal  procession  on  its  retnrn.  He  made 
no  contract  to  retnrn  with  the  part\".  It  is  only  a  ])re- 
snmi)tion  that  a)i\'  oiw  icould  :ris/i  to  return.  /A'  did 
)i  >/  wish  to,  and,  as  a  free  man,  had  a  ri.t^ht  to  remain. 
Four  members  of  the  party  j^-ave  their  opinion  that  the 
leader  would  o)i)/p</  'a\\  the  members  to  retnrn  with  him. 
\'.  disputed  his  rij^ht  to  do  so  and  took  the  onl\-  way  to 
prevent  an  arbitrary  act  by  hidin*^  out.  I  think  e\ery 
intellijL^ent  and  high-minded  American  will  justify  him 

in  what  he  did. 

Respectfully  Nours, 

U'iiiiiiii,ot<ui,  n,/..  (h/.  6,  /Sgj.  A.   X.  Kiucwrx. 


Wir.MixoTox,   I)i:i.. ,  Oct.  12,  '92. 
Dr.  Kkki.y. 

Dear  Sir : — Your  recjuest  for  photo<i^raph  was  received 
per   mail.      Yesterday  the  onl\-  copy  in  our  possession 


,'  i 


: 
i 


iMM 


TlfE  PEARY  RELIEF  EXPEnrnON. 


47;^ 


[ 


was  forwarded  to  you.  It  is  the  c()])\  tuuiid  in  Wrliocd's 
trunk  when  it  caini.'  1)ack  to  ns  from  (  nvcnland,  and  \w 
prize  it  very  \\v^\\\\  on  that  aeeonnt.  Unt  we  eould  not 
have  sent  one,  if  we  liad  not  taken  tliis,  witliout  j^^reat 
dekiy,  as  other  eopies  would  liave  to  eonie  from  Xew 
Haven  or  Louisville.  .Ma\-  I  ask  that  it  he  eared  for 
and  returned  when  sou  are  tln-ou,^]!  with  it. 

Yours  respectful])-, 

A.    X.    Ki'icwix. 

TH1<:    VERHOKFK-IM<:.\R  V    C(  )RRk:SP(  )XI)k: XCIC. 

434  (ioi.Di'.N  (;.\Ti-,   .\\i.;., 
S.w   I'RAxci.sco,   Cm..,    March    16,  1S91. 
LiKfT.  Roi'.'T  I<:.  Pkarv,  Philadeljihia,  Pa. 

/har  .SV/- .•— Vesterda.N-  I  read  in  tlic  Taconia  IWcklv 
Xc'a's  the  announcement  of  your  proposed  attempt  to 
reacli  the  Pole.  Would  like  to  accomixin\-  you,  fullv 
realizing  that  the  chances  may  be  nine  out  of  ten  that  I 
would  never  return. 

Am  unmarried,  twenty-five  years  of  a,-;e,  and  no  one 
dependent  on  me  for  .support.  If  you  decide  not  to  have 
me  with  you,  do  not  take  the  troul)le  to  answer,  hut 
treat  this  letter  as  confidential,  thou.s^h  you  may  have 
received  many  others  similar. 

However,  if  you  think  favoral)l\-  you  can  take  the 
time  to  read  the  remainder  of  the  letter,  which  treats  of 
my  qualifications. 

Yours  respectfully, 

(Si.i,nied)         Jxo.    M.    N'krhoi-.i.f. 


i| 


474 


IN  ARCTIC  SKAS. 


% 


434  {i()i.i)i:\  (iATM  Avi':., 
,Sa.\  I'rancisco,  Cai..,  A])iil  13,  'qt. 
Lii'TT.  Roii'T  \\.  l*i;Akv,   r.  S.  Xavv  Yard, 
Phihuk-lphia,  Pa. 

Dear  Sir  :  —  Your  letU-i  of  tlu'  fourth  *  jnsl  rc- 
cci\ccl. 

Would  cxjiL'ct  no  R'tuni  cxccjit  llic-  kuowkd'^i-  and  cx- 
]K'ric'UC(.'  wliicli  I  would  ."^^ain  and  for  which  J  haw  Kjus^ 
had  a  (k'sirc. 

IIa\'f  for  SOUR-  liuic  thou.^ht  of  t;oiu,^-  in  a  whaler  to 
the  northern  rei^^ious  as  a  ])re]xiration,  thou,iL;h  I  ha\-e 
not  as  yet  done  so. 

Can  j:,a)  several  days  without  nourishnient  and  can  en- 
dure as  severe  cold  as  an  average  man.  As  an  instance, 
December  i,  1890,  at  Portland,  ()r.,  I  swam  across  the 
Willamette  River  and  back  in  sixteen  and  a  half  minutes, 
the  temperature  of  the  w.iter  beint^-  7^  C.  or  44  ' ...  V. 
Have  usualK'  had  <;()od  habits  and  can  abstain  fnun  the 
use  of  licjuors  and  tobacco. 

vSpent  several  \'ears  at  an  eastern  university,  and 
think  I  could  be  of  material  assistance  to  \-ou  in  xour 
trii^ononietrical  calculations  and  determination  of  mine- 
rals by  blowpipe  anahsis. 

Can  walk  fort\-  miles  per  day  on  an  a\-era<4^e  road,  and 
have  walked  sixty;  find  no  trouble  sleepinj^- out  of  doors. 
Can  do  as  nnich  nuunial  labor  as  an  avera,L;e  man,  but 
m\-  heij^ht,  five  feet  four  inches,  and  youthful  a])pear- 
ance  usual h'  belie  me. 

*Mr.  VirluKlT's  rclMtivcs  li:ivi-  tlnis  liir  liccn  iiiial>le  In  discovrr  llu'-  kltir. 


f 


%.    l\\:\ 


I 


JOHN    M.     \  I.KIKM-.l-l-, 


']( 


'♦' 


ii 


I 


I 


f 


THE  I'EAR ) '  REIJEF  EXPEDJ TJON.  177 

If  yoii  arc  willinj^  that  I  shoulil   i^o,  would   (.'xpti't    lo 

occupy  the  position  of  a  subordinate  to  a  sn[K'ri()r  ofTiccr. 

If,  as  the  i)a]H'r  sa\s,  you  start  in   May,  there  will   l)c 

little  time  to  settle  business  matters  and   prepare,  so  if 

you  decide  favorably  please  tele<;raj)li  at  my  expense. 

RespectfulK', 
(Si.t^nied)        Jxn.   M.   \'i:i<ii(  )i:i-i'. 


434  (ioi.Di'.N  (lATr;  A\i;. 
Sax  1m-:ancisc(),  Cai..,  April  14,  iS()i. 
Iji;rT.  Koh't  IC.  Pi;akv,  I'.vS.  Xav>'  Yard, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 
/)((V  Sir: — Your  letter  of  the  sexeuth  ■   reeeixed. 
Would  sa\-  that   I   should   anticijiate  no  nluru  exeejtt 
the  experience    which    I   would    .^aiu,  and    for   which    I 
Ikivc  louj^-  had  a  desire,  as  staled  in  m\-  fnst  klUr. 

The  sum  I  offered  to  hel])  defray  the  ex-peuses  of  the 
tri]>  will,  I  think,  show  m\-  desire  for  an  opporlunil\-  of 
reachiu!^  the  northern  coast  of  (ireenland  and  ni\  ^ood 
faith,  and  would  defrax'  the  extra  expenses  of  the 
su])plies. 

The  nione\-  was  not  offered  simjily  for  the  ]U'ivile,ne 
of  beinj^  a  member  of  your  ])arty,  ihoui^h  I  ha\e  that 
desire,  and  I  would  retract  the  offer  and  would  not  wi^h 
to  t^o  if  it  was  used  for  an\'  other  jjurposc. 

RespectfulK', 
(Sit,nie(l)        J'Mix  M.   \'i:rii()i:1'1'. 

♦This  litkr  is  iilsn  iiussiiiL;   fnun  tlic  i-ni  ri-piiiKliiui'  ;ni(l  iciulil  11..I   In-  f.nnil. 


47« 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


W 


'IMu'  iK\i  two  followiii.n   ate  copies  of  iclt'jfrains  rc- 
cfivfd  hy  Wiiioiff  from  I.icul.  l'car\  : 

[Daliil   I.LMj^iK'  Islainl  N:i\y   N'.inl.  ] 
/HI  >r    T*  .  April  2(),   I  Sen. 

4,Vt<''.  <'■  A\(.'.,  vSan  I"raiicisco,  Cal. 

If  Noujoin  pally  ami  coiilrihiiU'  Iwo  tliousaiul  dollars, 

can  rliarkT  special  wsscl  to  W'liaK'  Soiiiid.       I-'ulI  cridil 

will    hr    ^i\cu    your    assislaucr.       If  .salisfai'lor\ ,    wire 

Ivusterii  rtlVrc'iices. 

(Si-iK(l)         R.    IC.    Pi;.\uv. 


\ 


[Datnl   .W'W   r.cdfnnl.    Mass.] 
To  J.\(i.    M.  N'l'UlK  )i:i'l\  7(.)  Seeond  .Si.,  I.ouisville,  Ky. 
I'Apedilioii   sails    from    N\w   York   about  June   5.      I 
shall  he  in  New  York  after  May  3. 

(Sii^ued)         R.    v..    l'i;.\kv. 


\ 


I' 


I'iiii..\.   Ac.\i>i:.Mv  oi"  X.x'iTRAi,   Scii;nci;.s, 

Loc.w  vSor.vKi',  Ma_\-  3,  iScji. 
Jxo.    M.  \'i:i^ii()i;i>i". 

DiivSir: — \'onr  letters  and  lelou^rams  are  all  safely 
to  hand,  and  I  think  (.•\erylhin.L;-  is  .satisfactory,  if  one 
point  is  clearl\-  understood  by  you,  namelx,,  that  \dnr 
contrilnition,  generous  as  it  is,  cannot  entitle  you  to  an\- 
sliare  in  the  niana.i^i'Uirnt  o;  control  of  the  e.\])edition. 
This  must,  in  the  \erv  n-.ture  of  the  case,  rest  ab.so- 
lutel\-  with  nie. 

As  I  wired  you,  your  assistance  will  receive  all  credit, 
and  1  shall  endeavor  to  make  things  pleasant  for  you. 


7 ///:  /'/•;./ A' )  ■  Ri:i. II-: I-  F.xri-ii v iion.       179 

If.  as  I  ,L;allKr  from  Miiir  Kutrs,  your  si)ri'iall\-  is 
niiiit.Talo.n\-,  I  shall  assJMii  iln'  sliuK  of  thai  luancli,  ami 
ptihaps  .L^xolo.i^y,  lo  you. 

Thi'  uicinhcTs  of  thr  partv  will  all  br  \(.un-  liki- 
\-oursclf,  -auk'iUs  and  (.•uthusia>l>  ;  and  not  our,  uiih 
Ilk'  exception  of  ni\-  coloud  man,  that  1  would  lusilaU' 
to  accept  as  a  I'ouipauiou  in  v\vx\  scusi-  ol"  ilu-  woid. 

I  iK)  not  know  liow  familiar  you  ma\-  he  with  the 
details  of  the  project,  hut  the  enclosed  elippiu-s  will 
post  \-ou. 

I  think  \-ou  need  anticipate  little  or  no  pirxuial  ri>k, 
hnt  \()U  can  look  forward  to  au\-  amount  of  hard  work. 
1  do  not  think  of  an\' sjjccial  ]iriparatious  that  nou  neid 
to  make  hefore  coming'  Ivisl. 

1  would  su,^,t;est  xour  blowpipe  outfit,  and  siudi  items 
ol  traveler's  outfit  as  you  may  desirt'  to  pro\ide  for 
xonrself.  Tersoiial  outfit  will  cost  nou  xiuu'  SS"  ;  this 
yon  can  obtain  here.  All  other  outfit  will  be  furnished, 
includin.n-  i'''l<^''  liniitin,^-  knife,  oilskins,  rubber  blankets, 
sleepinj^-  ])a}4S,  etc.,  etc. 

'J'he  expedition  will  start  about  the  first  of  June.  .\ 
Week  will  l)e  ample  time  for  \our  jireparatious  here, 
unless  you  wish  to  .see  .something-  of  this  part  of  the 
country. 

I  will  ask  >-ou  to  .send  me,  at  >-onr  earliest  con\-enii-nce 
(as  a  part  of  the  records  of  the  party),  a  cabinet->i/e 
bust  photo  of  yourself,  that  you  would  not  object  to  be 
published;  a  physician's  certificate  as  to  >our  phxsic.d 
soundness,  and  two  or  three  first-cla.ss  references. 


48o 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS 


i'^ 


When  you  coiiu'  Ivist,  I  woiiUl  su.i;,l;vsI  cither  the- 
Astor  House,  New  \'ork,  (ir  the  Lafayelle  Hotel,  IMiila- 
(leljihia,  as  a  point  of  arri\al. 

If  \<)U  wire  nie  when  nou  will  arri\e  at  either  one,  I 
will  meet  \()U  there. 

\'ery  trul\, 
(Si-nu(l)         K.    I-:.    1'i;akv,  V.  .S.  X. 


I  , 


k 


Ol-  I'  1  C  I  A  I.     OR  I)1-:RS. 

North  Ok::i:\i..\.\"i>  I-'xi'iiditiox  ni'   iS()i-'92. 
k.  1",.  1'i:akv,  r.  S.  Navy. 

Ri;i)  Ci.ii'i'    Horsi',, 

XoK'rn  ('.Ki:i;\i..\Ni),  August   ii,  1S91. 

Si)- : — Von  arc  herel)\-  (IesiL;nale(l  as  .Mineraloj^isl  and 

Meteorologist  of    the    North    (ireenland    l'!\])(.'(lition    of 

iS()i-"(;2.    and   in    this    eai)aeil\-    nou    will    make    e\-erv 

effort  to  obtain  all  the  specimens  and  strata  neccssar\-  to 

make  your  work  of  lasting  scientific  \alue. 

Von  will  report  to  me  monthly  in  wriliui^   the  results 

of  \()nr  work. 

\'ery  rcsixctfulh , 

(vSioned)  R.   \\.   1*i:ai<V, 

( 'oiiniiiiiuliii^  I'.  \  N'ditio)t. 

J.\i).  M.  \'i:kii()i:i1'. 


Ri;i)  Ci.ii'i'  Hoi'si';, 
Xok'ni  (iKi',i;\i.Axi>,  Ani^ust   12,  iS(ji. 
Sir: — Duriu!:;- the  absence  of  the  boat  c.\])editi()n  nou 
will  make  as  complete  a  miucraloj^ical  and  to])o^ra])liical 


o 


TflE  PEARY  REI.IEI-  EXPEDITIOX.         4S1 

cxaiuiiialidii  of  localiliLS  vi>itc(l  as  ])t)ssil)k'  and,  w  licn- 
c'VcT  praclicahlc,  (il)taiii  with  compass  and  aniToid  a  care- 
ful vertical  cross  .section  normal  to  the  shore  exlendini;- 
iVom  the  water  lex'el  to  the  crest  of  the  cliffs. 

Von  will  also  keep  a  general  record  of  the  weather 
and  on  your  leturn  submit  the  same  to  me,  together 
with   your  cross  sections  and  a   written   report  of  \()ur 

work. 

\'er\-  respectful] >•, 

(Si.nned)  R.  \\.  i'i:.\Kv, 

I  'oiiniiaiiiliiiii-  -^  ■  (•'ricnhrin!  F.a pcditio)!. 

J\().  M.  \'i;kiu)i:i'i'. 


15 


:il 


1l' 


11. 


APPENDIX    II 


%l 


LIKUT.   PKARV'S   REPORT. 

Till';  SciicNTiFic  Rksi'IXS  ok  Tuic  IvxrEDiTiON. — Important  Cox- 
ci.isioNS  I)i:i)i;ci:i)  i'rom  Data  anm)  OusiiKVATioNS. — A  Re- 
viicw  OK  I'RKvious  Arctic  Ivxi'i.oration'. 

Ar  the  rej^iilar  mcctinjj  of  tlic  Academy  of  Natural 
vScieiices  on  Tuesday  cveiiin*(,  November  i,  1892, 
Lieut.  Peary  presented  his  official  report  upon  the  North 
Greenland  Kxpedition  of  i89i-'92. 

After  the  preliminary  business  of  the  meetinj;-  had  been 
transacted,  Lieut.  Peary  was  announced  and  j^reeted  with 
applause  as  he  arose. 

He  bei^an  with  a  iirief  restnne  of  the  incidents  of  the 
voya<;e  of  the  AVA'  from  Ihooklyn,  whence  she  sailed  on 
June  C),  1 89 1,  tmtil  Jul)-  29,  when  she  steamed  away 
from  McCormick  l>a>'. 

"  rufortuuately/'  said  the  explorer,  "  I  broke  my  lei;, 
reuderinj;  it  useless  for  a  lous.;-  time.  Thus  helpless,  I 
was  carried  ashore  at  MeCormick  Ikiy  on  July  27,  1891. 
Strapped  to  a  ])lauk  I  was  taken  Jo  a  ])()int  where  I  could 
suiurintend  the  construction  of  winter  (puu'ters.  These 
were  in  native  fashion,  of  course,  with  snow  founda- 
tion and  a  single  entrance  for  door,  window  and  e\er\' 
outlet. 


> 


!  I 


i 


"■  '•  ■  r'r  "ffurif-i  irmUMiiitMiaa 


77^5-  PEAR  Y  RELIEF  EXPEDITION.         4S3 

"P.y  Au.irnst  12,  tlie  house  whicli  was  to  slielter  tlie 
party  was  about  completed.  From  tliis  time  until  Octo- 
ber 26,  when  the  loujr  winter  nis;ht  be.i,-au,  several  short 
expeditious  were  made  by  various  members  of  the  jxa'ty 
in  order  to  obtain  provisions  and  other  supplies.  One 
of  these,  led  by  (libsou,  was  to  the  "  looueries  "  of  Hak- 
luyt  Island,  where  a  large  number  of  birds  were  secured. 
He  was  al.so  conuni,s.sioned  to  vi.sit  the  Nehelumie  .settle- 
ment and  induce  one  of  the  natives  to  return  with  him 
to  McCormick  Bay,  it  beinor  .suppo.sed  that  the  a.s.si.stance 
of  an  Eskimo  hunter  would  be  invaluable  in  the  chase 
of  the  game  peculiar  to  this  region. 

"There  were  also  seal,  deer  and  walrus  hunts  and 
reconnois.sances  of  the  neighborhood.  A  total  of  thirt\-- 
one    deer   were   secured    before    the   siui    disappeared." 

The  futile  attempts  of  Astrup,  Crilxson  and  WrhoefT  to 
establish  an  autnnni  advance  depot  of  supplies  at  the 
southeast  angle  of  Humboldt  (rlacier,  which  were  pre- 
vented by  the  condition  of  the  snow,  received  brief 
notice. 

"Red  CHIT  House,"  said  Lieut.  Peary,  "was  at  a 
jioint  within  half  a  degree,  or  thirty  miles,  of  the  latitude 
where  \.\\q Jccoiiii'tlr  foundered  and  sank. 

"  Our  situation  there  during  that  long  and  dark  winter 
was  comfortable  ;  in  fact,  very  euj<)\al)Ie.  When  I 
arose  in  the  morning  the  first  thing  tliat  reached  ni\- 
ears  was  a  laugh.  The  last  thing  heard  in  the  exening 
when  all  lay  down  to  slee]-),  except  the  watcher  whose 
duty  it  was  to  guard  us,  was  a  laugh.      ( )ur  amusements 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


\ 


were  not  incivh-  such  as  coiivfrsalion  and  crude  recrea- 
tion could  supplw  The  nati\es  \-isited  us,  and  we  learned 
instructive  and  aniusin<;-  thin!;;s  without  end  as  to  their 
way  of  life  and  pursuit.  Thanks.nivin.y^  and  Christmas 
were  properly  ol)served,  so  that  the  time  passed  i)leas- 
antly  and  (piickly. 

"Ahout  the  middle  of  I'ehrnarN-  the  sun  returned, 
acconi])anied  by  a  storm  of  wind  and  rain.  Iluntini; 
parties  were  a.t;ain  or!:;ani/.ed  in  INhuch,  and  ten  more 
deer  obtained.  .\.n  e])ideniic  of  the  t;rippe  attacked  the 
part\-  durinj.;;  this  month,  and  several  of  the  natives 
sufTcred  also. 

"On  .\pril  iS  we  started  for  a  round  of  visits  amon^; 
our  neii^hbors.  I  can  say  that  e\ery  mend)er  of  the 
tribes  up  there  is  a  personal  friend  and  acijuaintance  of 
mir.e.  The  hap]n-  disposition  of  the  ])eo])le,  their  frank- 
ness and  L^ood  nature,  and  the  hap]">\' incidents  connected 
with  the  \-isits  we  paid  them,  ke])t  us  in  constant  miod 
humor. 

"  In  this  itinerary,  in  which  Mrs.  Peary  acconi]ianied 
me,  we  explored  the  recesses  of  In^lefield  (lulf.  (  >\er 
thirls-  .glaciers,  ten  of  them  of  the  first  tnas^nitude,  were 
discovered  and  named." 

In  comnientin,!^  on  this,  the  rejiort  says  that  it  is 
doubtful  whether  an\'  other  known  re,L,'-ion  sho.vs  .glacial 
])henomena  in  such  nias^nitnde  and  varietw 

The  report  recounts  the  difTiculty  of  transportiujL;-  the 
supplies  for  the  proposed  journey  northward  to  the  edije 
of  the  true  inland  ice,  fifteen  miles  awa\-.      W'rhoelT,  the 


fi 


m 


Tim  PEARY  REIJF.F  EX  PI-:  PIT  ION.         4S5 

report  said,  was  left  at  Red  ClilT  House  to  cuntiniie 
his  iiR'teoroIo.^ical  and  tidal  observations,  in  wliieli  lie 
had  become  very  nuieh  interested.  The  true  inland  ice 
was  not  reached  until  May  14,  and  the  actna:  start  on 
the  same  northward  was  not  made  until  Max-   i  ,s- 

The  course  and  the  events  of  the  journey  were  then 
brieflv  described.  The  return  jonrne\-  over  the  inland 
ice  was  resumed  on  Jul\-  S.  I'or  two  weeks  its  direction 
lav  over  the  oreat  central  ice  plateau,  at  an  avera,i;e  ele- 
vation of  about  8000  feet,  cloud-capi)ed  and  deep  with 
snow. 

"At  last,  on  An.^ust  5,"  continued  Lieut.  I'earv,  "in 
coniin.i;  over  the  profde  of  a  towerin,L;-  snow  mound,  I 
can->e  ui)on  I'rofessor  lleilprin  and  the  relief  ])art\.  T(> 
this  ,lav  it  remains  a  m\ster>-  to  me  how  he  and  they 
were  able  to  ,t;et  as  far  as  they  did  un])ro\  ided  with  the 
snow-shoes  and  implements  we  possessed." 

The  report  then  continued  : 

"The  scientific  results  of  the  expedition  nia\-  be 
brieflv  snmmari/.ed  as  follows  :— .\mon,<;  the  i^fo^raphi- 
c;d  results  mav  be  mentioned  the  delineation  of  the 
unknown  shores  of  Iiij^lefield  (lulf  and  the  iniperfectlv 
known  shores  of  Whale  vSound,  the  delineation  of  the 
northern  extension  of  the  ,L,n-eat  Greenland  ice-caj)  and 
the  determination  of  the  northern  limit  of  the  main 
(ireenland  mass  ;  the  existence  of  detaclKd  ice-free  land- 
masses  of  less  extent  to  the  northward  ;  the  rajiid  coii- 
ver<;ence  of  the  (ireenland  shores  above  the  seventv- 
ei<,dith    parallel  ;    the  determination  of  the  relief  of  an 


4.S6 


IN  ARl  tic  Sh'.AS. 


h 


t 


exceptionally  larjj;-c  area  of  the  inland  ici',  and  the  discov- 
ery of  a  larjj;-e  nnmber  of  <;laciers  of  the  first  niaj^nitnde. 

''The  j;eolo<^ical  results  are  comprised  in  the  addition 
to  onr  kno\vled.L;;e  of  the  inland  ice,  fnrnishin^i;-  \alnable 
data  to  oiu'  nnderstandinj^  of  the  .t;reat  ice  a,<;e,  and  the 
lari,a'  series  of  \-ie\vs  .  lu.winj;-  the  physical  characteristics 
of  the  ice-free  land  Ijotli  in  the  north  and  abont  Whale 
Sound  and  In.nlefield  Cnilf,  which  will  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  acadein\-. 

'' The  results  of  the  ethnological,  niineralo.i;ical,  bo- 
tanical. oriiitho!o;^icaI  an  ^  meteorological  inxeslii^atious 
;<AU  ■  .  obser\'ati(-)ns  are  also  connnriided  lo  ihc 
ac,  (i>.  iw;. 

"'IN)  Wrhoeff,  the  intrepid  \(nin<;'  man  wlio  con- 
tribute': )  li...-i.dl\-  of  his  means  to  the  financial  success 
of  the  expedition,  is  due  an  inistiuted  measure  of  praise, 
not  onl\'  for  his  generous  financial  assistance  to  the 
enterprise,  but  for  his  absor])iu,i;-  interest  and  ])ains- 
takiuL;  work  in  the  field  of  nieleorolo^icai  and  tidal 
ol)Ser\'ations  entrusted  to  him. 

"The  meteorolo,L;ical  and  lidal  obserx'ations  taken  by 
Wrhoeff  are  anioiit;-  the  most  complete  ewr  taken  in  the 
Arctic  regions,  and  transcend,  I  am  persuaded,  in  result 
and  real  \alue  the  record  of  an\'  ])re\-ious  work  in  this 
line.  Von  are  all  familiar  with  some  of  the  circum- 
stances connected  with  his  taking;  off  <  )n  the  \er\ 
morniii!.;-  of  his  disapi^earance  wc'  stt  out  on  his  track. 
The  scientific  si)eciniens  he  had  gathered  in  his  walk 
were  found  l)\    us,  and  he  was  traced   1)\   his   foolstips  to 


THE  PEAR  Y  RELIEF  EXPEIV TION.         ^87 

tlic  fdnv  t)f  ;i  ck'ft  in  a  lowcTino-  j^'-lacirr.  'riuu  he  was 
oivcu  lip  afUT  careful  searcli  in  cvi.r>  diuctiou  mack- 
fu'rlhcr  cfiurt  futile. 

"  Referrino- to  the  (.■tlinolo^ical  ivsulls,  Dr.  Cook  has 
secured  a  complete  census  of  the  Smith  vSonnd  Ivskinios, 
with  important  data  and  pholo,nrai)hs  of  seventx  -fi\e  of 
them.  Tliis  material  will,  I  feel,  contribute  .^reatK  to 
answeriuo-,  and  perha])s  answer,  the  (juestion,  ^Whence 
came  this  pet)i)le?'  The  man\-  and  \alual)le  tni])hies 
he  collected  will,  in  due  time,  lorm  part  of  tlie  acadeni\- 
collection. 

"To  Astru]),  my  (()m])anion  on  the  inland  jouniex-,  is 
due  a  special  debt  of  t^ratitude.  A  bo\-  in  a])])earance 
and  hardh-  more  than  a  l)o\-  in  >ears.  he  showed  the  ^rit 
and  had  the  endurance  of  a  man,  and  his  Iiapp\- disposi- 
tion and  cheerful  alacrity  were  a  jiexer  failin-  comfort 
on  the  loui;,  tedious  march  aeri>>s  the  ice. 

•'('ribson,  our  ornitlioloMi.st,  and  \\\\  U'.-m  l)o\  Matt 
had  the  connnission  to  see  that  tlu'  parl\-  had  euou-h  to 
eat.  This  they  accomplished  with  -reat  endit  to  ihem- 
seh'es.  In  this  couneelion  pailindar  ac-knouled^nient 
is  due  to  C.ibsou,  who  was  indeed  the  Xinirdd  ot  us  all. 
vSlronn-  and  active,  notliin--  daunted  liim.  and  with  t'cpial 
coura.^e  1k'  faced  ]iri\-alion  and  personal  lisk. 

"  M\-  boy  Malt,  wlio  prowd  almost  as  exptrl  in  the 
use  of  the  .^un,  merits  liit^h  i-ommendation  when  it  is 
remend)ered  that  he  belongs  to  a  race  sup])osed  to  be  ill 
adapte<l  lor  the  eiulurance  ol  exti-enie  cold,  and  that  when 
he  went  north  with  us  Ik   left  behind  a  nouu"  bride. 


4S.S 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


Ii» 


I'.. 


n  1 


k 


''As  <;c-iR-ral  conclusiDUS  of  llir  work  of  the-  c-.\])L'(li- 
tioii,  I  frc'l  justiric'd  in  slaliiiL;  lliat  iIr-  inland  ice-  of 
(irccnland,  l)ct\wcii  the  ,sr\cnty-c'i^lith  and  fi,t;hl\-- 
sccond  parallels,  i'^  identical  in  characteristics  with  the 
inland  ice  nnder  the  seventieth  parallel,  east  of  Disko 
Iiay  ;  that  the  j^real  .glaciers  of  the  northern  and  north- 
western fiords  ha\e  all  the  external  featnres  indicatin,i;- 
resistless  force  and  liiiL^h  \elocit\-  common  to  the  .glaciers 
of  Disko  I>av  and  Oinenak  .Sonnd,  as  well  as  those  of 
Injrleficld  (inlf ;  that  under  normal  conditions  the  wind 
of  the  ,i;reat  ice-cap  is  al\va\s  blowin,^  from  the  interior 
outward  and  downward  perpendicular  to  the  t;eneral 
trend  of  the  coast  ;  that  the  a<;enc\-  of  tlie  wind,  cease- 
lessl\'  hurrviu<;-  the  snow  from  the  interior  to  the 
coast  land  ribbon,  wdiere  it  can  melt,  nmst  now  be 
placed  on  a  par  with  the  a.^ency  of  s^lacial  e\'aporation 
and  sub-!:;lacial  licinefaction  in  all  discussions  as  to 
the  causes  which  tend  to  balance  the  animal  precii)ita- 
tiou  and  pre\-ent  the  rapid  increase  of  the  interior 
ice-cap. 

"  In  re>;ard  to  the  methods,  equipments  and  other 
questions  bearing-  upon  future  Arctic  work,  in  m\- 
opinion  the  North  (ireenland  Ivxpedition  has  slu)wn 
that  an  itinerar\-  of  a  journe\-  upon  the  inland  ice  ma\- 
l)e  followed  with  nearly  the  ]>recision  with  which  frei<;ht 
trains  are  run  on  railroads,  and  Professor  Heilprin's 
\-ova!L;e  shows  that  the  leuj^tli  of  the  trip  from  here 
to  Whale  Sound  can  be  calculated  almost  to  a  day. 
Further,  it    has  been   demonstrated   that   two  or  three 


!!■ 


II 


tmti^t  iumtmn>iiinfp>* 


,.J..U!l,-X-iJJiJ! 


If 


■  ;. 


T///-  rE.iA')'  Ri-:i.ii:i-  /■:.\/'/-/)/77(hv.      4s., 

Wt.'ll-(.'quii)])i'(l  iiK'ii  can  roiniiiaiKl  aii\    pail   of  llir   coast 
of  r,rcc-nlaii(l  from  the  inliTior. "' 

A  Ri-:\ii;w  (II-   pRiAiors  Akci'k:  Ivxi'i'.Drnoxs. 

Of  the    value  and    iniiiortancc   of  polar   exploration, 

there   can   now  he    ncj   (|Ueslion,    althon^h    the   i)o]inlar 

notion    that    its  ohjcct    should    be   the  atlainin^-  of    the 

hi<;hest  possible  point,  or  e\-en  of  the-  Xorth   I'olc  itself, 

is  wide  of  the  mark.      Its  trne  objects  are  scientific,  the 

obser\ations  of  nieteoroloj^ical  and  niai^netic  phenomena, 

and   !^eo^ra]ihical,  h\-dro,^rai)hic,   .^eolo.y^ical  and  etlnuj- 

lo.^ical  studies.      The  ascertaiuinj^-  of  the  exact  location 

and  the  period  and  rani^a-  of  oscillation  of  the  nia<.,nietic 

Pole  is  a  matter  of  sujierlative  importance  ;  the  (^a'o.^raph- 

ical  Xorth  Pole  has,  R)r  science,  no  greater  si^niificauce 

than    any    other    point    on    the    earth's    surface.       The 

chimera  of  an  open  Polar  vSea  beyond  the  ice-barrier  has 

lon.o-  since  lost  the  few  believers  in  it  which  it  ever  had, 

and   the  audition  to  reach   this  mythical  .sea,   and   the 

pure  spirit  of  adventure  which  has  made  "a  dash  upon 

the  Pole"  its  ultimate  object,  have  lon.i;  ceased  to  be  the 

moti\-es  of  the  undertakers  of  explorations  into  Arctic 

regions. 

Indeed,  these  motives,  which  have  played  so  important 
a  part  in  the  polar  enterprises  of  the  ])rescnt  centurv, 
were  alto.gether  forei.gn  to  and  unknown  to  the  earlier 
explorers. 

PassinsT  the  abortive  attempts  in  the  tenth  centurv  of 
our  era,  of  that  turl)tdent  barbarian,  I{ric  the  Red.  at 
establishino;    colonies    in  (ireenland,  without  eularoin*' 


49" 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


m'-^ 


'h^ 


\ 


1/ 


upon  iIk'  half-niytliical  \'o\-a>fL'S  of  lla-  XorsLiiRU  from 
Iceland  lo  the  coasts  of  Xorth  America,  ox  the  >lill 
deeper  nnslcry  of  the  \-oya_;j^e  in  the  fourteenth  century 
of  Xiccolo  Zeno,  a  \'enetian  noljleman,  into  the  north 
seas,  tlie  first  authentic  Arctic  explorations  were  l)orn  of 
the  connnercial  needs  of  tliL'  northern  maritime  nations 
— the  Dutch,  the  Danes,  and  alxne  all,  (jf  the  I'<n_i;iisli. 
The  voya<4CS  of  the  earlier  disco\erers  of  the  sixtt-cntli 
and  seventeenth  centuries,  of  Travis,  (jf  Hudson,  of 
PjafTni,  and  man)'  others,  were  all  undertaken  primarily 
in  the  interest  of  commerce. 

Wlu-n  it  was  found  that  thr  American  continent  lay 
stretcned,  an  unbroken  l)arrier,  in  the  wa\-  of  a  west- 
eriui;  course  to  the  co\'eted  Indies,  and  the  two  .^atLwax'S 
thither,  the  one  around  the  Cape  of  (lood  Hope  and 
the  other  throui^h  the  .Strait  of  Ma.^ellan,  were  l)arred 
and  jealoush'  guarded  by  the  I'ortti.miese  on  the  one 
hand  and  the  vS])a'iiar(ls  on  the  otiier,  it  became  a  matter 
of  the  highest  moment  to  the  other  commercial  powers 
of  ICurope  to  find  a  wa\  amnnd  tin.'  obstrnctint;  conti- 
nent of  America  which  minht  !)(.■  used  free  of  Sjxinish 
or  Portujj^cse  interference.  To  seek  such  a  one  in  a 
northwesterl)'  direction  was  the  most    obvious  solution. 

The  vo\a,!nes  of  iM'obisher  in  I57r)and  157S  established 
the  fact  that  there  were  two  or  more  wide  openiui^s  on  the 
American  coast,  leadin,i;  westward,  between  latitudes 
60°  and  63",  but  what  he  supj^osed  to  h.ave  been  a  part 
ol'  the  "  Ivngronelant,"  or  (ireenland,  of  the  map  of 
Xiccolo   Zeno,  and    what  he    called  "  Meta   Inco,i;nita," 


I 


Till-   PEAR  Y  RELIEF  EXPE/U770N.         491 

was  ivally  a  part  of  ihf    western  shore  of   iIr-    W.rih 
Aniericaii  continent.      Greenland  he  certainly  never  saw. 
Jolm  Davis,  wlio  made  the    next  attempt   to  (h'scov-T 
a  northwi'sterl)-  passa-e,  was  one  of  the   most   scientific 
seal.  ..'n  of  his  time.      He  made   tliree   vo>a-es   in    three 
snccessive  \  ears,  aided  and   fitted   ont   hy   William    San- 
derson and  other  merchants.      Sailin--  from    Dartniontl: 
the  seventh  of  June,    i^S^,  he  was  the   first    to  visit    the 
west  coast  of  (Greenland  snhseqnent  to  the  abandonment 
of    the    Xorse   colonics.      He   called    it    the    ••  Land   <;f 
Desolation."      He  discovered  (nlltert's  Sonnd  (where  now 
stands    the    Danish    settlement    of  ( '.odthaal.),  and    then 
crossin,-,^  the  strait   which   hears   his    name    he  traced   a 
portion    of    .\merica's    western    shore.        In    his  second 
voya-e  Davis  noted  what  he  calls    -a   fnrions  overfall,"' 
which  was  tile   tide   Ih.win.L;-   into   Hiidsoirs    .Sirail  ;   and 
ill  Iiis  third  voya-e,  in  i^sS;,  he  advanced  farnphisown 
strait    and    reached    a    loft\-    oraniic    island    in    ;_>       p' 
X.,  which  he  named  Sanderson's  Hope.       He  considered 
th.it  there  was  no  -ood    hope  of  ad\-aiiciii-    farther,  and 
ivjiorted    "no   ice    towards    the    north,  hut    a   oiv;it    sea, 
live,  lar-e,  ver\-  salt  and   blue,  and   of  an    iiii>eai\-lial)!e 
depth."      He  found   it    impossible    to    reconcile    his    dis- 
coveries witii  tIiere])orts(,f  I'robislier  and  the  Zeiio  map, 
ar.d  in  1^95  he  piiblis'ied  a  tract,  entitled  '>  The  World's 
IIy<lro-Taphical  Description,"    in    which    Ik-   ably    states 
the  arL;-niiieiit  in  favor  of  a  iiortlnvest   p-:    .aae. 

The  Iviin-lish  enterprises  were  continued   b\-   the    Mus- 
covy Company  and  by  associations  of  i)atri.jtic  merchants 


492 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


m 


'»!•!. 


i)f  London,  and  nndcr  the-  auspices  of  llu'  fonnrr  notable 
work  in  polar  discowry  was  done  1)_\-  IIc'nr\-  Ilndson. 
On  his  i'ir>l  \dya,L;r,  in  I'^x)-,  lie  discoveu'd  the  until 
recently  most  nortlnTn  known  point  of  tlu'  east  eoast  of 
<ireenland  in  73^  X.,  named  "Mold  with  Hope,"  a 
examined  the  edi^c-  of  the  ice  between  the  latter  eoast  ai... 
Spit/.berj^en,  reachin;^  a  latitude  of  So"  23'  \.,  and  ou 
his  wa\'  home  he  (lisco\ered  the  island  now  known  as  Jan 
]\Ia)en.  In  his  seeond  v()\;i;;e,  undertaken  in  lOoS,  he 
made  further  examinations  of  the  ed,^e  of  the  ice  between 
Si)itzber!^en  and  Xo\a  Zcmbla.  In  his  third  xoyaj^e,  in 
the  employ  of  the  Dutch  Ivist  India  Compaii\\  he  dis- 
covered the  Hudson  River,  and  in  1610  discoxered  Hud- 
son's vStrait  and  the  orc-u  ba\-  which  bears  his  name. 

At  about  the  same  period  the  Danish  kings  began  to 
send  exi)editions  for  the  re-disco\-ery  of  the  lost  Gref^ 
land  colony.  Christian  I\'.  in  1605  sent  three  si 
under  the  l-aiglishnien,  Cunningham  and  Hall,  and  a 
Dane  named  Lin(leno\-,  which  reached  tlu  western  coast 
of  (rrecnlaud  and  had  much  intercourse  with  the  Eski- 
mos.     Other  \essels  followed  in  1606- 1607. 

After  several  expeditions  of  minor  importance,  one  of 
which,  despatched  under  .Sir  Thomas  Ihitton  in  com- 
mand of  the  l\rsnlittii)ii  and  the  D'scorcrw  in  161  2  win- 
tered on  the  west  shores  of  Hudson  Ua)-,  Robert  Bylot 
as  master,  with  William  Baffin  as  pilot  and  navigator, 
set  out  in  1616  in  the  Dixivz'ciy.  Sailing  np  Davis' 
Strait  they  pas.sed  that  navigator's  farthest  point  at  vSau- 
dersou's  Hope,  and  .sailed  round  the  great  channel,  with 


i 


it; 


to 


'/•///•;  ri-.ARY  i<i-:i.ii:F  i-.xri-i^n i(  w.       ,,,, 

smalKr  cliauiuls  iLadiii:^-  out  of  it,  which  has  hirii 
kiKiwn  f\cr  siiux'  as  HatrmV  l'.a\.  I'.alliii  iiaimd  ihc 
iiKisl  iiorthiTii  opiiiin^-  Siuilh  Soiiml,  atkr  ihi-  Inst 
(iowniiir  of  th(.'  Ivisl  India  C<iniiiaii\  and  iinmiluiiit 
proinottr  of  ilif  (.xpt-diiioti.  Sir  Thomas  Smith.  I[r 
disro\(.ri.(l  and  rliar'.rd  W'o.sttnhohm.'  SiHind.  and 
Ilakluyt  Island  in  the  ri'^ions  mar  ami  al)o\c'  Capr 
York,  and  the  Car\  Islands  and  Lanc-a>lir  Sound  aad 
joncs  So'ind,  k-adin;^-  westward  onl  of  liaffin's  \\a\  .  U 
ma\-  !)(.'  mentioned  as  an  illnstration  of  tlu'  \alnc  of 
tlR'Sc  early  xoya^rs  to  inodiin  science  thai  i'ldfcssor 
Ilanslc-cn,  of  Christiana,  made  n>c  of  Haffiu's  oI)>cr\a- 
tions  ill  the  compilation  of  his  maL^iielic  maps. 

I'or  a  ))eriod  of  two  eiaitnries,  with  the  exception  of 
the  estahlishmeiit  of  the  m  -lern  Danish  seltlenient>  in 
\\''est  and  South  ('.reeiilaiid.  there  was  no  enterprise  of 
importance  into  these  waters.  'J'his  was  dne  mainl\  to 
the  fact  that  the  decadence  of  vSpaiu  and  l'ortm_;al,  and 
the  increasin.^-  iia\-al  slreii,L;tli  ni' the  Hntch,  and  later  of 
the  lin.^lish,  sliorth'  broiij^ht  about  the  opening;  of  the 
routes  by  wa\-  of  the  .Strait  of  Mai^ellan  and  the  Cape 
of  Cjood  Hope  to  the  commerce  of  the  world,  .url  made 
the  seekiii.i;-  after  a  northwest  passa<;e  a  matter  of  minor 
importance.  A  ^reat  deal  was  accomplished  in  a 
northeasterly  direction,  howe\er,  espeeialK'  b\  the 
Dutch,  and  between  1725  and  1711,  b\'  the  command 
of  Peter  the  (ireat,  ICmperor  of  Rus>ia,  Ca]>laiii  \'itns 
Berin*;',  a  Dane,  made  sexeral  x-oya^c-s,  sailing  ont  of 
Okhotsk,    in    Xortheasteni   .Siberia,    in    which    he    dis- 


t 


494 


/A'  .lA'CT/C  S/i.^S. 


1: 


covnvd  iIk'  SCI  and  strait  wliicli  has  ever  since  bonic 
his  iiauK-. 

It  was  not  till  after  the  jx-ace  of  1S15  that  north 
polar  rt'scaroh  ai^ain  Inund  a  i)()\vcrrnl  and  indcfati- 
jjjabk'  advocate  in  Sir  John  Harrow.  'rhron,i;h  his  in- 
fluence a  law  was  enacted  in  iSiS  hy  the  Hritish  Par- 
liament, by  wdiieh  a  reward  of  ,/,\2<>,()()()  was  odered  for 
making  the  northwest  passage,  an<l  of /,"5()(K)  for  reach in.;^ 
89  X.,  while  the  Commissioners  of  Lon^itnde  were 
cmjiowered  to  award  jiroportionate  snnis  to  those  who 
nii.t>ht  achiew  certain  portions  of  snch  disco\eries.  In 
iSi-  the  .\ictic  .Sea  had  been  reported  by  Cai)tain 
Scoresb\  nnnsnall)  free  from  ice,  and  this  cansed  the 
despatchin.t;  of  two  expeditions  the  following  year,  the  one 
b\-  wa\'  of  vSpitzbernen,  and  the  other  by  Ilaffm's  Uay. 
To  the  lirst,  in  command  of  Captain  Daxid  linchanan, 
vSir  John  I'ranklin,  then  oid\  I.ientenant  iManklin.  was 
attached.  The  two  vessels  of  this  expedition  we're 
.se\erel\   nijiped  and  wereoblim'd  to  relnrii. 

The  other  expediti.  n,  also  e(inip])ed  with  two  vessels, 
the'  hitlh-lla  and  the'  .\l(\iiiiiiii\  nnder  Captain  John 
Ross  and  I/.entenant  r.irr\-,  followed  in  the  wake  of 
Hairin's  voxai^e  of  i^uh,  and  is  important  mainh  in  that 
it  conhrnu'd  the  (lisco\eries  of  that  ancient  marini'r. 
Cai>lain  Ross  thon^ht  the  inlets  reported  b\-  r.aflln  as 
le.idin,!:^  ont  of  his  i^reat  ba\-  were  merel\-  smaller  inden- 
tations in  the-  coa-^t  ;  his  se'e-ond  in  coniman<l,  howexer, 
was  con\ince'd  that  I.ancaste'r  .Sonnd  led  to  a  wider 
openini;   to  the'  westward. 


i 

5. 


3, 


!l! 


7V/L-  PEARY  RHl.lEr  KXri-iniTION.         495 

Parry  was  acoordinnly  sok-cU'd  to  coiniiiand  a  new  (■x- 
pcditi.m  the  followiiio-  yt'ai.      I'ushino-  westward  throuuli 
Lancaster  Sound  and  its  con.tiniiation— which  he  nanud 
I'.arrow  Strait— with    an    archipda-o   on    liis    starboard 
side,  since  known   as    I'arrv  Ishmds,  he  observed  a  wide 
openin-    to    the    nortii,    which    he    nanie.l    Wellington 
Channel,  and  sailed  on  for  300  miles  to  Mehille  Island. 
Here  he  was  stopped  by  that    impenetrable   polar   pack 
<)l   .threat   thickness  which   seems  to  snrronnd   the  archi- 
jK'laoo  to    the  north  of  the   American   continent.      The 
e.\-])edition    wintered    on    the    sonth    shore    of    .Melville 
Island  and  retnrned  in  October,   iSio.      ( )n  Ma\- S.  iS_m, 
anotlier  expedition  nnder  his  command   went   out   with 
the    Ifrcia   and  the    l-ury.      This   company   passed    their 
fn>t  winter  on  the  newlv-discovered   Melville  I'eninsnla, 
and  still  persevering,  they  passed  a  second  winter  a.mon.t; 
the    I-skimos    at    I-loolik    in    6./^    20'   X.,  discovered    a 
channel   leadino   westward    from    the   head   of  Ilndson's 
Bay,  whicli  Parry  named  I-nry  and  Ilecla  Strait,  and  re- 
tnrned in  the  antnmn  of  i,S23. 

Meanwhile  I'ranklin  had  been  t'mployed  in  ellbrts  to 
explore  the  northern  coast  of  .\merica.  hitherto  almost 
a  Inra  iiuoonita.  I„  iSi.j  Ir.  went  ont  accompanied 
bv  Pr.  Richardson,  (kor.oe  Pack  and  Hood,  landin-  at 
^■'>rk  I'aclor\,  whence  the\-  i)rocei>ded  to  Civat  Sla\-e 
Lake.  In  .\n,<^ust  the  following-  \ear  llie\  started  f.,- 
the  Coppermine  rivi^r,  and  tmbarkin-  on  it  the\  reached 
its  month  ..n  jnlv  iS,  iSji.  Over  ,s<'"  miles  of  c.,a.t 
line  we;e  explored,  as  far  as  Cape  Tnnia-ain.      On    it.^ 


UVi   sH 


496 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


'i 


rcliiru  jouriKv,  llic  ])arl\  (.iiduivd  llic  most  frij^litful 
sdlferin^  iVoiii  culd  and  slarxation.  hut  f\L-iituall\  iM-ank- 
liu,  Ric-liardsuu  and  Hack  ankx-d  salL-lx'  at  I'ort  Cliip- 
])L'\vyan. 

In  1S24  tliR't.-  conibiiK'd  alli'inpts  wlii.'  ori^ani/ed. 
I'arry  attain  ciitcTiui;-  Lan.ca>li.r  Suiiud  was  to  push  down 
an  oprninj4  he  liad  seen,  and  called  I'rince  Re.^ent's 
Inlet  ;  hut  he  was  iinsueeessful.  I!eeehe\'  entered  liehr- 
ini;  Strait  in  the  //A'.v\,v//,  and  extended  our  knowledge 
of  the  north  coast  of  the  c-ontinent  as  far  as  Point 
Ilairow.  iManklin  descended  the  Mackenzie  I\i\er  to 
its  month,  and  explored  the  c-iast  to  the  westward  for 
j^74  miles  ;  wdiile  Dr.  Richardson  discoxered  the  shore 
between  the  Mackenzie  eastward  to  the  month  of  the 
Coppernune  and  sighted  land  to  the  northward,  which 
he  named  W'ollaston  Land,  and  called  the  di\idin:.;- 
chanui'l  I'nion  and  I)ol])hin  .Strait,  They  returned  in 
the-  anlnnni  of   i  SjT). 

I'arrx's  attempt  to  reach  the  I'ole  in  1S27  from  Spitz- 
])er^en,  1)\  means  of  sled!.;e-l)oats,  was  useful  oul\  in 
proxiu!.;  that  notliim;  could  he  done  in  the  wa\"  of  Arctic 
disco\er\-  1)\-  leaxini.^-  the  land  and  trusting-  to  the  driftiu.n 
]  Kicks. 

The  tracini^-  of  the  polar  shores  of  Xortli  .\merica 
was  continued  1)\  Captain  John  Ross,  who,  accompanied 
1)N  his  neplu-w,  James  Ross,  sailed  in  iS2<;  in  the 
liitorv;  the\-  ])assed  three  succcssi\-e  winters  in  the 
reiiions  around  tlu-  (luH  ot  Iloothia,  so  named  1)\  them 
alter  I'\lix  Iloolh,  a  wealthy  distiller  who   hnnished  the 


THE  PEAR  Y  REI.IEE  EX  PEP  I TION.         497 

funds  lor  the-  (.•.\pc{liti(jii.  TlK'ir  winter  (inartcrs  was  on 
tlic  eastern  side  of  the  land,  whicli  they  named  liootliia 
l^'lix.  In  the  course  of  excursions  chirin.L;  the  summer 
months,  lliey  crossed  llie  hind  and  discovered  llie  posi- 
tion of  the  North  ma-iietic  Pole  on  the  western  side  of 
it,  on  Jnne  i,  1S31.  The  Rosses  conld  never  -el  liieir 
little  \essel  out  of  its  winter  (|uarters,  and  were  ohli-ed 
to  fall  back  on  their  stores  on  iMiry  I'.each,  wliere  they 
si)ent  a  fourth  winter,  and  were  eventuallv  picked  u].  hy 
a  whaler  in  liarrow  Strait.  The  servants  of  the  Hud- 
son's liay  Com])any  finally  completed  the  surve\  s  of  the 
northern  coast  of  America. 

lu    1S4S,    a    fresh    atteni])t    was   made    hy    Sir   jnlui 
lM-aid<lin,    in    the    J-.irhiis    and    the    l\rr<n\    to    lorce  a 
passa-e   from    Lancaster   Sound  to  I'.ehrin-    Strait,  with 
its    well-known    tra-ic    endin-        Of    the    stow    ,,r   this 
untoward  event,  and  the  numerous  expeditions  <.f  searcli 
u-hich    it    called    forth,    onlv  the    briefest    outline    of  its 
uiost  important  points  can  ])e  -iven.      A  tew  -eo-raphi- 
cal  delads  are   necessar\-  in  order    to   under.stiind  clearly 
the    nature   of  the   obstacles    which    finall\-   stepped    the 
l)ro-ress  of  the   uuhaj-pv  ex])lorer,  and    which   also   pre- 
vented Sir  Ivlward  I'arry  from  i)roceedin-  further  on  his 
first  vova-e.      Westward  of  Melville  and  \Vxx\\v^  Islands, 
northward  of  the  western  part  of  the  American  cast,  and 
northward  of  Keunedv  Channel,  there  is  a  vast  unknown 
s]\ice,  the    ice    which   encund)ers    it    uex'er    iiavin-    been 
traversed  bv  ;uiv  ship.    The  Hoes  with  which  it  i>  packed 
are  descnbed  bv  all  navi-alor>  ^vlio  have  skirted  its  ^.,1.^^ 


49« 


IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


'ji 


as  \)C\\\'^  of   stupeiulons  thickness  and   luassixc   ])r()])()r-- 
tious. 

This  accuiiiuhuidii  of  ice,  to  which  Sir  Crcori^c  Xaics 
has  ^i veil  the  name  of  a  "  Paleocr\>lic  Sea.'  arises  from 
the  absence  of  direct  coniinnnication  hetween  this  por- 
tion of  the  Arctic  ( )cean  and  the  warmer  waters  of  the 
AtUuitic  and  Pacific.  IJehrinjj;-  Strait  is  the  only  vent  in 
a  S(nith westerly  direction,  and  that  channel  is  so  shallow 
that  the  ice  ,L,n-()niids  ontside  of  it.  In  other  directions 
the  channels  leadiiii:;-  to  IJaffin's  Hay  are  narrow  and 
tortiions.  The  lieav\'  ])olar  ice  flows  southeast  between 
Melville  and  I>ariii,y;  Islands,  down  what  is  now  called 
McClintock  Channel,  and  impiiii^vs  on  the  lujrthwest 
coast  of  Kin*;  William's  Land,  discovered  by  James 
Ross.  It  was  this  last  named  branch  of  the  paleocrystic 
sea  which  fiiialh'  stopped  the  pro.^ress  of  the  Franklin 
e.xpediticni. 

On  leaviii}.;  his  winter  quarters  at  Heechey  Island  in 
1846,  F'ranklin  found  a  channel  leading  .south,  now 
called  Peel  Sonnd,  ninninu;-  aloiiij;-  the  western  shore  of 
the  land  of  North  Somerset,  discovered  by  Parry  in  1819. 
If  he  could  reach  the  channel  on  the  American  coast, 
he  knew  that  he  wonld  be  able  to  make  his  way  alonjj^  it 
to  Behriiiji^  Strait.  lie  sailed  sonth  throut^h  Peel  Sound 
towards  Kin<j  William's  Land,  with  land  on  both  sides. 
lint  directly  he  passed  the  southern  point  of  the  western 
laiul,  and  was  no  loiii^^er  shielded  by  it,  the  <^reat  ])aleo- 
cr\stic  stream  from  Melville  Island  was  fallen  in  with, 
pressino-  oil   Kiiii;'  William's  Land.      It  was  impassable. 


i 


THE  PEA  R  } '  REL  lEE  EXPEDl  HON.         4 ,  ,9 

The  only  possibility  of  proi^rcss  would  ha\e  been  b\- 
rotin(liii,i;-  thf  eastern  side  of  Kiun-  WilliaiiTs  Laud,  now- 
known  to  be  an  island,  ])ut  whose  insularitv  was  then 
unknown. 

When,  in  i  S4S,  iM-anklin  had  still  failed  to  return, 
anxiety  bej^an  to  be  felt  for  the  exjiedition,  and  James 
Ross  \vas  despatched  to  Lancaster  Sound  with  two 
ships.  He  returned  in  the  following;  >ear  without  au\- 
tidinj^s.  The  alarm  ft)r  the  safet\-  of  the  part\-  now 
became  <>;eneral,  and  in  May,  iS^o,  Captain  Austin  was 
sent,  in  command  of  the  . /.vv/,vA?//(V  and  the  R,s,)//i/,\ 
with  two  steam  tenders,  to  renew  the  search  b\-  wa\-  of 
Harrow  vStrait.  Two  lM-i_t;s,  the  /.diiy  l-'rankliii  and 
Sophia,  under  tlie  command  of  IVniu,  an  able  whaliu;^ 
captain,  were  .sent  l)y  the  same  route.  The\-  were 
oblinred  to  remain  over  winter,  and  nuide  an  exhanstixe 
.search,  discoverin,^-  PVanklin's  winter  cpiarters  on 
Beecliey  Island,  ])i't  there  was  no  record  of  an\-  kind  to. 
indicate  the  direction  taken  b\-  the  ships. 

In  Januar\-,  iS^o,  an  expedition,  under  Colliuson  and 
McChire,  in  the  I-liittrpiisc  and  the  /i/rcs/ioa/or,  had 
sailed  from  iMi.t^dand  to  attempt  to  succor  the  niissini; 
explorers  by  way  of  Ik'hrin,^-  vStrait.  The  ships 
accidentalh'  parted  com])an\-,  and  each  contiinied  what 
pro\-ed  to  be  most  remarkable  \()\a,^es.  (  )n  Ma\  (), 
KS51,  the  l-liiUrpi  is(\  with  Colliuson  on  board,  passt'd 
the  strait,  and  rounded  I'oint  liarrow  on  the  25th. 
Colliuson  then  made  his  wa\'  U])  the  narrow  Prince  of 
Wales  Strait,  betwei'U  JKiriu''  and   Prince  .Mbert  Islands 


'■I 

?! 


li^ 


5c« 


LV  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


ami  reached  Princess  Royal  Islaiuls,  where  McChire  had 
been  the  previous  year.  Returniu}^'-  southward,  the 
luitcrprisr  wintered  in  a  sound  in  Prince  Albert  Island. 
Traveliu}^  parties  were  despatched  in  the  sprinjj;-  of  1S52, 
one  of  them  reachin.y;  Melville  Island.  In  vSeptend)er, 
i(S52,  the  ship  was  free,  and  Collinson  jiressed  eastward 
alonjj^  the  northeast  of  America,  reachin<;'  Camhridi^e 
Ha\-,  where  a  s.'cond  winter  was  passed.  In  the  spring- 
he  examined  the  shores  of  \'ietoria  Land,  ;ind  came  to 
within  a  few  miles  of  Point  \'ietor\-,  where  the  fate  of 
Kranklin  would  ha\-e  been  ascertained.  The  I'.iitdprisc 
a.t^ain  put  to  sea  on  .\u,i4;ust  5,  I'^^.S^.  ^md  returned  west- 
ward alons^-  the  northern  coast  of  America  until  she  was 
stopped  by  ice,  and  obliged  to  pass  a  third  winter  at 
Camden  P>a\'.  In  iS^j.  this  most  remarkable  vo\"a,!4e  was 
completed,  and  Captain  Collinso-.i  brou.^ht  the  1-liiUr- 
prisc  back  to  ICnj^land. 

Meanwhile   McClure    in  the   Iii:<  sli'^ator  had    ])asscd 
the  winter  iS^o-'si  at  the  Princess  I 


\o\  al 


islands,  oni\ 


thirt\-  miles  from  Parrow  Strait.  In  ( )clob(.r  McClure 
ascended  a  hill  whence  he  could  see  the  frozen  surface  of 
Piarrow  vStrait  navigated  by  Parr\'  in  iSiq.  It  was  imjios- 
sible  to  reach  it,  for  the  same  branch  of  the  ])aleocr\stic 
sea  which  stopped  P'ranklin  off  Kin^;  William's 
Land  was  athwart  their  nortluv.ird  course.  So  as  soon 
as  he  was  free,  in  iS^d,  McClure  turned  southward 
around  the  southern  extreme  of  lining  Island,  and  com- 
menced to  force  a  passage  to  the  northward  betwet'U  the 
western  shon-of  that  land  and  the  eiMiniou^  fuMs  of  ice 


I' 


Till-:  pi'.ARY  ri-:lii:i-'  Kxni'iniTioN. 


=ifH 


which  pR'ssL-d  ni^on  it.  The  cliffs  rose  up  like  walls  on 
one  side,  while  on  the  other  the  stupendons  ice  of  the 
paleocrvstic  sea  rose  from  the  water  to  a  1  .-xel  with  the 
Iiivcslij^alori^  lower  yards.  Alter  many  hair-hreadth 
escapes  McClnre  took  refn,<;e  in  a  l)a\-  on  the  northern 
shore  of  Hanks'  Land,  which  he  n.amed  "The  IJay  of 
(iod's  Mercy."  There  the  ///rvvZ/Vv/Av  remained,  never 
to  nunc  aoain.  After  the  winter  of  iSsi-\s-3  McCliire 
made  a  jotirne\- across  the  ice  to  Melville  Island,  and  left 
a  record  at  Parry's  winter  harbor.  Abundant  snp-])lies 
of  nnisk-oxen  were  fortnnately  fonnd,  bnt  another  winter 
had  to  be  faced.  In  the  sprini^' of  iS^:^  McClure  was 
Iireparin.t,^  to  abandon  the  shiji  with  all  hands,  and 
attempt,  like  iMMnklin's  crews,  to  re.ich  the  northern 
coast  of  America.  Ihit  snccor  providentialK-  arrived  in 
time. 

In  1S32  the  Piritish  ^oxernment  resohed  to  send 
another  expedition  to  jiroceed  by  Lancaster  vSonnd. 
Anstin's  \-essi-ls,  the  .  lss/s/ij//<r  and  /\r.u)////i\  and  their 
steam  tenders,  the  /Voz/rr/-  :uid  ////rr/^/,/,  were  recom- 
missioned,  and  the  .\'<>r//i  S/ar  sent  ont  as  a  dep(;t 
ship.  Sir  Kdward  r)elden  commanded  the  .  Issisfaiicc 
and  the  I'ioi/tcr  was  nnder  vSherard  Osborn.  These  two 
proceded  np  Wellin.nton  Channel  to  Xorthnmberland 
Bay,  where  the\-  wintered.  A  second  winter  was  passed 
hx  them  lower  down  in  Wellin.^ton  Channel,  and  then, 
aba>.idonin<;-  their  ships,  they  retnrned  home  in  1-^54. 

Captain  Kellett  connnanded  the  other  \-essel,  the  Rcso- 
luti\  with    McClintock    in    the    steam    tender    Iiilrcpid. 


mar-r' 


ySSSSSS9imimtsm 


Hii. 


iii 


I 


502 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


Aiiiuiii;  Kl-UcII's  officers  were  the  best  of  Auslin's 
filcdj^e-travelers,  McClintock,  .Mecluuii  and  W'slv  Ham- 
ilton ;  (ieori^e  Xares,  the  future  leader  of  the  expedition 
of  I ''^74-75,  was  also  on  board  the  Rrsoliiti.  Kellett 
passed  onward  to  the  westward  and  passed  the  winter  of 
iS52-'53  ;it  Melville  Island.  Dnrin*,'-  the  autumn 
Mecham  <lisco\ered  McClnre's  record  at  I'arrx's  winter 
harbor,  and  the  position  of  the  /iircs/i^a/or  was  thus 
ascertained  and  the  safety  of  her  crew  was  assured  ;  for 
it  was  only  necessary  to  send  a  message  across  the  strait 
between  two  fixed  ])ositions. 

This  service  was  performed  by  Lieut.  I'im  earh'  in  the 
following;  spring.  The  officers  and  crew  of  the  /luus/i- 
i;(i/i>i\  led  b\'  McClure,  arrixed  safely  on  board  the  A't  so- 
////(■  on  June  17,  1S53,  and  the\-  reached  iMiinland  in  the 
followini:^  Near.  The\'  had  not  onl\-  disco\"ered  but 
tra\'ersed  a  northwest  passrij^e,  thoui^h  not  in  the  same 
ship,  and  ])artl\'  b\-  traveling'-  over  the  ice. 

I'p  to  this  time  the  nustery  of  the  fate  of  the 
I-'ranklin  i)art\-  was  luisolved.  .\t  last  in  i''^54.  Dr. 
Rae,  relurnini;  from  a  journey  u])  to  Kin.^'  WillianTs 
Land,  in  which  he  established  it  to  be  an  island, 
broujL^ht  home  tidin>4S  and  relics  of  iM-anklin  which 
he  had  ,L,r;itli(_-red  from  the  Eskimos.  This  led  to  the 
expedition  of  McClintock  in  the  /'ox. 

At  the  time  the  .ifovernmcnt  of  (ireat  IJritain  was 
wholly  taken  ujiwith  Ivastern  affairs,  and  when  the  war 
was  over,  it  was  deemed  useless  to  spend  more  mone\-  and 
risk  more  lives  in  what  was  re<;arded  as  a  hopeless  cpiest. 


i(6 


Tin:  PHAR  ) '  A'AV. //;■/•■  J:.\PFJ)/  WON.         303 

P.tit  L;ul\-  iM-ankliu's  pious  (k\(iti(.u  to  tlu-  iikiuoin  of 
liLT  nohU-  Iiiishaiid  ]>n);ui)l(.(l  lur  to  make  oik-  last  effort 
to  ascertain  his  fate  ;  to  this  object  slic  dedicated  all  her 
available  means,  aided,  as  she  had  been  before,  b\  the 
subscriptions  of  sympathizing- friends.  The  little  \  aclit 
/vM- was  purchased  and  fitted  out,  rnid  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  \eteran  Arctic  \-oya,!4er,  Leo])old  McCliu- 
tock,  she  sailed  from  Aberdet-n,  Juh',    1N57. 

Tile  first  winter  was  passed  drifting-  around  liairm's 
IJay,  locked  fast  in  the  floes,  and  it  was  not  until  the 
autumn  of  iS^S  that  the  /-'oi-  was  i^ot  into  winter  quar- 
ters at  Port  Is.enned\-,  on  Ikdlot  .Strait,  between  P.ooihia 
I'Vlix  and  Xorth  vSonier^et.  In  the  sjjrin^'  of  1 S59 
sled.i^ini;-  i)arties  went  out  to  search  the  coasts  of 
Kiu!^-  WilliauTs  Island  and  the  west  coast  of  lioothia. 
The  search  was  successful  so  far  as  ascertaininj^  the  fate 
of  the  expedition  is  concerned.  Prom  the  iCskimos  in 
P)()othia  many  relics  were  obtained,  and  reports  as  to  the 
fate  of  the  ships  and  the  men.  All  alonii;-  the  west  and 
south  coasts  of  Kinjr  William's  Island  remains  of  articles 
belon.u^intj:  to  the  sliips  were  discovered,  and  skeletons 
that  told  a  terrible  tale  of  disaster.  Abo\e  all.  in  a 
cairn  at  Point  \'ictory  ii  record  was  ilisco\-ere(l  b\-  Lieut. 
Ilobson  that  brielh-  told  the  histor>- of  the  expedition  up 
io  A\n\]  2,s.  1S4S.  lu  iS45-'4r)  ii  had  wintered  at 
PecchcN-  Island,  on  the  southwest  co.i^t  of  Xorth  I)e\-on, 
after  having-  ascended  \Vellin,i,ft<>n  Channel  to  latitude 
77^^,  and  returned  b\-  the  west  side  of  Cornwallis  Island. 
The  success  of  the  first   \ear's  work,  thus   l)riefl\-  stated. 


/ 


I 


I 


n\> 


III 


5'M 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


was  j^iLulir  tliaii  any  ever  attained  within  a  sin<,de  sea- 
son (if  Arctic  service. 

Tlie  record  was  written  on  one  of  the  forms  supplied 
by  tile  admiralty  to  snrveyin_L;'  \essels  to  he  thrown  o\-er- 
board  after  the  recpiired  data  had  been  filled  in.  I'nt  upon 
the  mar<2[in  and  around  the  printed  form  was  an  adden- 
dum dated  April  25,  1S4S,  after  all  hope  of  a  successful 
termination  of  the  enterprise  was  j^iveii  ii]).  It  was  in 
these  words:  "  .\])ril  25,  1S4S,  H.  M.  vS.  Ttiror  and 
/i/</'/ts  wvw  deserted  on  22  April,  five  leajj^ues  X.  X.  \V, 
of  this,  liavin<f  been  beset  since  12th  vSeptember,  1S46. 
The  officers  and  crews,  consistiiiir  of  105  sonls,  under 
the  comniand  of  Captain  V.  R.  M.  Cro/.ier,  landed  here 
in  lat.  (nf  37'  42"  X.,  Ion--.  98=  41'  \V.  Sir  Jolm 
Franklin  died  on  the  iitli  June,  i''^47  ;  and  the  total 
loss  ])y  death  of  the  expedition  has  been  up  to  this  date 
9  officers  and  15  men."  It  was  in  the  l)andwritin»^  of 
Cai)taiii  iMtzjames,  to  whose  sij^nature  is  ajipeiided  that 
of  Captain  Cro/.ier,  who  also  adds  the  words  of  momen- 
tous si<j^iiificance  :  "  vStart  on  to-morrow,  26tli  April, 
184.S,  for  P.ack's  I<ish  River." 

A  briefer  record  never  Lold  a  more  tra<,nc  stt)ry.  All 
of  the  party  had  ])robably  overrated  their  strength  and 
their  ability  to  reach  the  northern  shores  of  the  continent 
of  America.  Reduced  by  want  of  suilicient  food 
and  the  effect  o{  their  winter's  confinement  in  these 
rc<i^ions,  they  had  attempted  to  dra_y;  with  them  two 
boats,  besides  heavily-laden  sled*;cs,  and  doubtless  were 
soon  compelled  to  abandon  a  {greater  part  of  their  burden. 


» 


f 


Ml 


Till:  PEAK  )  ■  RE  1. 1  El-  I:  \l  'El  V  I' I  ON.  5.  .5 

Oil'.-  of  the  boats  was  found  1)\-  McCliiUock  ikmi  llu- 
iniddlc  of  the  wcsl  coast  of  Kinj;-  Willianrs  Island.  It 
contained  two  skeletons.  I'roni  the  I'',skinios  it  was 
learned  that  the  men  dropped  down  as  lhe\-  walked,  and 
were  iVecinently  left  unhuried.  There  was  no  snsi)icion 
of  foul  ])la\,  althou.nh  many  relics  of  the  retreatini^ 
jxirtN  were  found  in  the  possession  of  the  M>kimos. 
I'"rom  all  that  coidd  be  .nathercd  it  seems  that  one  of  the 
vessels  was  crushed  in  the  ice,  and  the  other  stranded  on 
the  shores  of  Kin,!..;-  WilliauTs  Island,  where  it  lav  for 
years  a  mine  of  wealth  to  the  wild  tribesmen.  \o  trace 
of  the  vessels  was  found.  This  is  all  that  is  known  of 
the  fate  of  I-ranklin  and  his  <^allant  men.  I-ranklin  is 
certainlv  entitled  to  the  credit  of  havinj.;-  discovered  the 
northwest  passa<;e,  the  point  reached  by  him  bein,^  within 
a  few  miles  of  that  reached  by  earlier  explorers  from 
the  westward. 

The  catastrophe  of  vSir  John  iMMuklin's  e.\]H'dition 
led  to  the  discovers'  of  jooo  miles  of  coast  line  and  to  the 
c.\i)loration  of  a  vast  extent  of  unknown  countr\ .  It 
also  afforded  a  warniuL;  which  would  render  an\-  similar 
disaster  (piite  inexcusal)le.  If  arrani^emeuts  are  alwaxs 
circfullv  made  for  a  retreat,  if  a  depot  shi])  is  alwa\s 
left  in  reach  of  the  advancin;^  expedition  on  the  one  hand 
as  well  as  of  the  outer  world  on  the  other,  and  if  tlu  re 
is  annual  connnunicatiou  with  positive  rules  lor  deposil- 
inj;  records,  no  such  catastrophe  can  ever  happen  a-ani. 

The  American  nation  was  hrst  led  to  lake  an   interest 
in  polar  enterprise  throui^h   a  very  noble   and   j^H-nerous 


I 


I 


5'  '''> 


/N  .-lA'i  /'/(    .S/t./.V. 


W" 


li 


syiiipiitliN-  n.r  iM'ankliii  and  hi>  Uravc  c<)ni])aiii()n>.  Mr. 
( irinuc'll,  of  Xcw  \'(>rk,  ;^a\(.-  practical  c\piv>.sii)n  to  this 
ficliii^;  I)\  till'  iipiipmciit,  ill  iSs".  "f  two  ncsscIs,  tlic 
.lt/r(i//(r  and  tlii'  /\i.u/i(\  commanded  1)\  I^ic-utcnants 
DcIIaxcii  and  ( irillitli,  to  aid  in  llic  search.  Dr.  Kane, 
of  I'liilaiklpliia.  accompanied  tlu'  (.■\pedition  a.s  .snrLjeon 
and  iialnialist,  and  wrote  tlu'  narrati\e  of  tlie  >aiiu-, 
published  in  ■■'^i.si,  uiidir  the  title  "The  ('.  .S.  ('rriniull 
l"",\peditioii  in  Search  of  1  ):■.  l-ranklin.'"  'IMie  e.\i)editioii 
reac-hed  iMankliiTs  wintc'r  (piarters  on  lieechey  Island, 
hut  reluriK-d  thi-  >anK-  \  ear  without  wintering;  there. 
Kail''  w.is  deti'rmined  not  to  ,^i\e  up  the  search,  and 
all  .i^dxerninenlal  aid  hein^  refused,  in  spite  of  feehic 
lualth,  he  Irax'eled  throii^li  the  .States  lecturin,^  in 
order  to  obtain  funds,  and  j.;a\e  up  his  pay  for  twent\' 
nu)nlhs. 

iMuallx'  Mr.  (irimiell  a^ain  came  to  the  rescue  with 
the  brit;-  .  h/rtf/zic,  which  was  etpiipped  with  the  help  of 
Mr.  Teabody  and  the  . Academy  of  Xatural  .Sciences, 
and  in  i''"^.^^  the  expedition  sailed  with  the  purj^osc  of 
exploriu*^  the  unknown  country  borderiuiL,^  on  .Smith 
.Sound,  the  uortherh'  outlet  of  liaffin's  Way,  and  l)e\()nd. 
The  .h/:(i//<('  reached  .Smith  .Sound  in  .\u5rust,  1S33, 
an<l  went  into  winter  (piarters  on  Rensselaer  ]\a\  .  In- 
teresting- work  was  done  in  the  following'  s]iriim.  i  lu 
i^Meatest  of  all  .glaciers,  HumboldK  ilacier.  Mtrface 

exteudiui^  over  sixt\"  miles,  was  discovers  .d  M()rtt)n, 
one  of  the  ])arty,  crossed  its  foot  with  a  sled  .tml  a  leaui 
of    doi^s,    and     attained    a     point     beyond,    near    Cape 


THF.  rEARY  REI.lh.l-  l-XruniTlON. 


5<'7 


Coiistilulioii,  ill    lalilU(k'  Si      22'  X.    wluiicx'   lu'  .saw   lo 
the  iiorlhward  opfu  water. 

This  (liscovcTx,  which  was  prohahlv  iKithiii-;  iiii.i\  ihaii 
a  ))art  of  the  sea  bexoiul  Kennedy  Chaniul,  ami  ])().s>il)lv 
what  is  now  known  as  Ilall  iJasin,  ti.ni]>(iiaiil\  (.'Uar  of 
iee,  was  the  orij^in  of  tlie  ni\thofan  "  ( )j)en  I'olar.Sea." 
The  expedition  was  liarassed  by  sickness  and  waul  ^A 
means,  and  after  a  second  winter,  (hirin,^  which  mmman' 
attacked  the  whole  party,  notwithstanding  tlu'  l'".>kinios, 
who  pro\ed  trne  friends,  furnished  iheni  wi:h  Iresli  nuat, 
till'  Advance  was  abandoned  Ma\  17,  1S55,  and  the 
parly  reached  Tpernavik  on  Ani^iisl  ^.  IJmt.  IIart>lene, 
who  liad  been  sent  ont  to  search  lor  Kane,  reaclu-d  \'an 
Rensselaer  I5a\'  after  he  had  .^one,  but  lotik  the  reinat- 
in^-  crew  on  l)()ard  on  liis  return  \-o\aiL;e. 

Kane  reached  home  in  ( )ctober  and  at  once  set  about 
writinfj  the  narrative  of  his  voya;..,^',  which  was  published 
in  1S56.  He  died  in  Havana,  l'\bruary  iC),  1^57.  onlv 
thirt>-seven  years  of  a^ij^c,  ha\'in,L,''  certainh'  accomplished 
a  prodif^ions  amount  of  work  in  his  short  and  restless  life. 

On  Jn]\-  10,  iS6(),  an  expedition  left  I'.oston,  under  the 
command  of  Dr.  Hayes,  in  the  schooner  I'liitui  Stales, 
for  vSmitli  Sound,  with  the  object  of  I'ollowin^  up  the 
line  of  research  be<;un  by  Dr.  Kane.  Dr.  Ilaxes  had 
been  one  of  tlie  com]>anions  of  the  former  e\])(.(lition. 
He  wintered  at  Port  Fonlke,  and  in  the  followiuL;  sjirinj.^ 
crossed  the  sound  to  the  American  sliore  in  do;;'  sled^a-s, 
explorin_t^  the  coast,  without  makini:;- an\-  momentous  di.s- 
coveries,  however. 


hi} 

I 


508 


/N  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


% 


•% 


Tliu  st<)r\-  of  Charles  Hall  as  an  Arctic  explorer,  like 
that  of  many  others,  is  most  pathetic.  A  deep  interest 
with  the  fate  of  jSir  John  iManklin  first  led  him  into  the 
northern  seas.  In  the  fnst  jonrne)',  iS6()-Y)2,  he  dis- 
covered the  remains  of  a  stone  house  which  iM'obisher 
had  built  on  the  Coinitess  of  Warwick  Island  in  157'S. 
In  his  .second  e.\])edition,  iS64-Y)9,  Hall,  by  dint  of  the 
most  nnwearied  ])erseverance,  at  len.t^th  reached  tin  'ine 
of  retreat  of  the  l-'ranklin  survivors,  at  Todd's  Islanc  ....d 
Pepper  River,  on  the  south  coast  of  Kini;  William's 
Island.  He  heard  the  stor\  of  the  wreck  of  one  of  the 
sliips  from  the  I'vskimos.  He  was  told  that  seven  bodies 
were  bnried  at  Todd  Isla.id,  and  he  bronj^ht  home  some 
bones  which  are  believed  to  be  those  of  I^ient.  Le  \'er- 
comte,  of  the  l-j-<hiis. 

( )n  July  .^,  i^i/i,  he  startcvl  from  Xew  London  with 
the  ill-starred  expedition  in  the  Polaris.  Hall's  own 
plans  inclnded  a  steamer,  with  a  sailing'  vessel  as  snj)- 
port,  and  the  means  of  maintainin.i;'  occasional  comninni- 
cation  between  himself  and  the  civili/ed  world  wherever 
he  mi_<;ht  be.  The  necessit\"  of  keepin<^  o])en  commnni- 
cation  in  order  to  insure  ;-  retreat  or  make  a  rescne 
tolerably  cert;. in  had  l)een  shown  a^ain  and  a.i;;un,  and 
was  rclnctantK'  abandoned  wlien  he  found  that  ('on<4ress 
would  ,ui\<-'  him  but  one  \esse]  and  only  <5(),()()f). 

In  respect,  tot  ,  of  'he  region  selected  for  exjiloration 
his  plans  wert-  com;ietel\'  modified.  It  had  ])cen  intended 
b>'  him  to  sail  westward  out  of  liatrin's  Uay  up  Jon  :> 
Sound,  but  the  opinions  of  his  friends,  the  ICskimos,  aiui 


I 


I 


I 


THE  PEAR ) '  RELIEF  E.\/>E/)l7IOU.         .so., 

the  ^Mvat  interest  attacliiiiu-  to  Kane's  exiKiiiiuvs,  in- 
dnced  him  to  chanj^^ehis  ])nri)osean(l  to  follow  nptlic  lat- 
ter exj)l()rer's  discoveries  on  Sniitli  vSouiul.  ( )ii  the  after- 
noon of  Aii,i,nist  27  the  J\>laris  was  opposite-  Capt'  AKx- 
ander  and  entered  the  sonnd.  She  was  pn>hnl  forward 
rapidl)-,  favored  hy  eoni])aratively  open  water,  and  on 
the  evenin.i;-  followin.t;-  entered  the  narrow  ehannel  i  x- 
tendin.i;  north  in  eontinnation  of  vSniitlTs  Sonnd,  and 
sinee  e.dled  Kennedy  Channel  On  the  twentv-ninth 
they  fonnd  tiieniselves  in  a  part  of  the  ehanntl  just  tr.ix- 
erse(h  where  it  widened  into  a  basin  of  some  fort\  miles 
in  extreme  hrea(Uh,  now  ealled  Had  Ilasin,  and  he\oad 
this  found  a  strait  trending  northeast. 

Thisslrail.  whieh  is;d)onl  lwent\- to  twenl\ -fi\ x'  miles 
in  wi(hh,  is  honkred  1)\-  hi^h  nionntaiiions  land,  l-Mken 
here  and   there  I)\    ra\ines,  hut   in  i^encnd   ]ire>eMlin-   a 
perpendienlar  line  of  elifl>.     Durin-  the  riinaiii<U  i  <.f  the 
ni-^lil,  and  for  sewral  lionr>  of  llie  (.arlv  pari  (.f  the  thir- 
tieth, the  ship  was  kept  mo\in^-  toward    t!ie  ndrlli  ;    im- 
mense iet-fields  were  pa>sed,  iaerca>in,^  in  si/.e  and  nnm- 
ber.     Al  ^  a.  m.  the  hi-lu.i  pnim  v.vas  reatdud.     'J'lie  ii'e 
then  became  so  eompaet  thai    il  w.is  impo-sibh-   to  loree 
tile   \fssel    throu-h.      \..  open   water   was  steii    fiiillai 
north.      Tl-."  Eolnri.s  h;id  Raelml  the  limit  (,;'  lu  ;■  \(»\a,m'. 
"  We  saw  firm  ice  from  one  v<.k\A  to  ti)e  (.ilur,"  >a\>  llu' 
onl\-    ret'ord    that    li.is   been    preM-rved.      b'o-s   had   |ire- 
\-ented    obser\:it;ii:is    bein-    takiai.    so   that    the    latiliidi.' 
reached  conld  not  be  recorded  with   exacthiss.  bm    fi,„n 
c.'irelnl  caUailatiou  based  on  .ill    ihe  records  pr(»enrablc', 


510 


ny  ARCTIC  SHAS. 


% 


the  Hydr(),u;ra])hic  Office  published  as  a  result  of  their 
revisiou  that  the  hij^hcst  point  reached  by  the  Po/nris 
was  82°  11',  a  point  far  beyond  all  previous  navij^ation 
towards  the  Pole.  The  strait  in  which  she  found  her- 
:>elf  was  called  Robeson  Strait,  after  the  Secretar>-  of 
the  Xavy,  and  the  ice-bound  ocean  beyond  was  named 
Liiicoln  Sea. 

The  expedition  went  into  winter  quarters  in  Thank 
God  Harbor,  September  i,  1871,  but  the  death  of 
Captain  Hall  virtually  put  an  end  to  its  work.  The 
ship  was  locked  in  its  liarbor  l)y  Providence  Hero;, 
a  huge  iceberjj^,  to  which  .she  had  been  fastened  durinj^^ 
the  winter,  and  from  which  .she  was  not  released  until 
July,  1 87 2.  vShe  cruised  anioui;  the  floes  and  bergs  of 
Kennedy  Channel  and  Smith  Sound  during  August  and 
September,  1872,  vainly  trying  to  force  her  wa>-  south- 
ward. Karh'  in  October,  fearing  her  destruction  by  a  nip, 
stores  were  got  on  the  floes.  On  the  second  of  the  month 
the  floes  parted,  and  a  jiortion  of  the  exjiedition,  nineteen 
in  number,  were  cast  adrift,  spending  the  winter  on  their 
ice-raft,  and  were  finalh'  ])ieked  up  by  the  British  sealer 
/y^'/v'.v.v  on  .\i)ril  30,  1873,  o(T  the  coast  of  Labrador. 
The  part\'  remaining  with  the  ship  was  at  last  compelled 
to  abandon  her,  and  was  rescued  by  the  vScotcli  whaler 
A'trrr/zu/tf/'x  in  June,   1873. 

Inspired  thereto  b\-  Dr.  Petermann,  of  (iotha,  his 
(lerman  countrymen  were  moved  to  take  their  share  in 
the  work  of  polar  diseoviTN'.  .\n  expedition  was  organ- 
ized in  iSf)S  under  the  counnand  of  Captain   Koldewey, 


( 


; 


w 


THE  PEARY  RELIEE  EXPEDl  I  lu\  ^u 

and  provisionc-d  for  two  years.      It  consisted  of  tiie  f,rr. 
niniiia,  a  screw  steamer. )f  170  tons,  and  the  hri-  Uansa, 
commanded  l)y  Captain  Hejremann.      The  ship  left  P.ro- 
mcn    on  Jnne    15,   1869,   destined   for  the  east  coast  of 
Greenland.      The  Ifansa  -ot  separated  from  her  consort 
in   httitnde    70°   46'    X.,    and   was  crnslied    in   tlie   ice. 
Her  crew  escaped,  takin-  refn<.re  ,,n  a  lar-e  floe.      Here 
they  imiuovised  a  Init  ])uilt  of  patent  fnel,  in    wliich 
strange  refnge  they  spent  and  celebrated  Christmas.     Hy 
the  following  May  they  had  drifted  iioo  miles  on  their 
ice-floe,  and  at  last,  on  Jnne  14,  1870,  they  arrived  safely 
at  the  Moravian  mission  station  of  Friedriksthal,  west  of 
Cape  Farewell.     The  Gmnaiiia  sailed  np  the  east  coast 
of  Greenland  .s  high  as  75°  35'  X.,  and  eventually  win- 
tered at  the  Pendulnm  Islands  in  74°  30'  X.      In  March 
1870,   traveling   parties   .set   ont  nnder  Koldewe\-   and 
Payer,  the  fntnre  discover  of  Franz  Josefs  Land  ;  the\ 
reached  a  point  100  miles  to  the  northward  of  the  ship, 
when  they  were  compelled  to  return   for  want  of  pro- 
visions.    A  grim  cape,  named  after  Bismarck,  marked 
the  northern  limit  of  their  discoveries.      In  latitude  -  j° 
15   X.  a  deep  branching  fiord  was  di.sco\ered  stretching 
a  long  dij'.mce  into  the  interior  of  (keeidand.    Along  its 
.shores  arc  peaks  7000  and  14.000  feet  high.      The  j)arty 
enconntercd  nnmcrons  herds  and  shot  main  niiisk-oxen. 
Lient.  Payer  was  resolved  to  continne  in  the   path   of 
polar  di.scovcry,  and  as  a  preliniinar\-,  he  and  an  olhcer 
of  the   An.stro-Hnngarian   Xav\-  freighted  a    Xorwegian 
.schooner,    the    Ishfdni,    and  in    the    snmnier    of    18-1 


Hi: 


»"■ 


'I: 


5>2 


IN  ARCTIC  S J-:.  IS. 


examined  tlic  c(l<;e  of  the  ice  belweeu  vSpit/her>;eii   and 
Xova    Zcinbla.      Uu  July    14,  1^72,  the   two  explorers 


left  T 


tlu 


■it) 


Willi  lee 


roniso  in  the  steamer    IVi^clliDjJ  duriii 
season 
siimm 


ti(3nall\-  severe 


aiu 


1  tl 


an  exeep- 


iL'    vessel    was    soon    beset 


Tlu 


of  1S73  found  her  still  a   close 


V  J 


jjrisoiier  near  Cape  Nassau  at  the  northern  end  of  Xova 
Zenibla,  but  on  Auj^just  31,  a  mountainous  country  was 
sij^hted,  and  in  October  the  \essel  had  drifted  to  within 
three  miles  of  an  island  in   latitude    79°    54'.      There   a 


second  winter   was  spen 


t.      I 


iears  were   \'er\'   numerous 


and 
effect 


sixt\-seven    were     killed,    their   meat     provini,^   an 


ive  rcmed\'  against  scur\\', 


Tl 


le  newlv  (liscoxcivd 


country  was  found  to  equal  Spil/.bert^cii  in  extent,  to 
be  di\idcd  into  two  or  more  masses,  and  to  extend  to 
latitude  Si*""  X.  The  mountains  all. lined  a  height  of 
2()0')  or  3000  feel,  the  (lei)ressions  between  them  beiui; 
coNered  by  glaciers  and  the  interior  surniounled  b\  an 
ice-ca|).  The  country  was  named  after  ihe  Iv.nperor  of 
Austria,  iMan/ Josef 's  Land.  The  i)arly  wasoblii^ed  to 
aban;li>:i  llieir  sliip  and  allempt  a  retreat  in  open  boats, 
and  were  al  last  picked  u]>  by  a  Russian  schooner  and 
arrived  al  X'anh'i  September  3,   1S7 4. 

In  ( )vlol)er,  1S74.  spurred  to  action  b\-  the  gallant 
enterprise  of  other  countries,  the  then  ])rime  miui>t<.r 
()'.'  iCni^laud  announcid  that  an  LXjiedition  would  be 
started  out  in  the  followin;^-  >  ear  to  renew  polar  ex])lo- 
raliou.  The  route  by  Smith  Sound  was  selected,  and 
two  ])owerful  steamers,  the  .\hit  and  l^isco:'ir\\  were 
commissioned.      Captain  Xares  was  placed  in  command. 


% 


nil-  PHARY  RELIEF  EXPED/T/OX.         5,3 

The  expedition  left   Portsniuuth   on    May    2y,  iS;^,  and 
entered  Smith  Sound  towards  the  end  of  July.      After 
lierculean  difficulties  with  the  driftin<,r  packs  Lady  Frank- 
lin Hay,  in  latitude  81°  44',  was  reached,  where  the  Ihsror. 
cry    was    established    in    winter   quarters.      The    .Unl 
pressed  on   and  reached  the  ed-e  of  the  paleocrxstic  .sea, 
the    ice   llcK-s   bein-  from   80  to    100   feet   in   thickne.s.s. 
I.eavino-     Robeson     Strait     the    vessel     made     pro-re.ss 
between    the    land    and    the   .<,m)unded    ice   ]neces"and 
pas.sed  the  winter  off  the  open  coast,  and  facin-  the  -reat 
polar  pack  in  82°  27'  X.,at   a    point    16'   fnrther   north 
than  the  hio-hcst  reached   by  the   Pn/'ans.      On    April  ^, 
1876,  sled-in,<r  parties  started  from  both  ve.s.sels.    Captain 
Markham  and  Lieut.  Parr  advanced  over  almost    insur- 
mountable difficulties  over  the   p.,lar   pack   to   a    hi-her 
latitude  than   was  ever  before  attained,  S^^'  20'  26"  N. 
The  coast  line  to  the  westward,  facino-  the  fn./.en  ocean, 
was  explored,  as  well  as  over  3,,,)   miles  of  new  cast 
line  alon-  the  northern  coast  of  (ireenland.  the  difficidty 
of  the  work  beinjr  increased  a  hundred-fold  ])y  the  party 
bcin-  attacked  ])y  .scurvy.      .\  .series  of  niaouetic,    me- 
teorological and  tidal   observations  completed   the  usefid 
work,    and     the    expedition     returned    to    ICii-land    in 
October,    1S76. 

In  1879,  a  party,  consisting  of  Lieut.  .Sdiwatka,  V. 
S.  A.,  and  three  others,  .set  out  overland  with  llicbject 
of  throwin-  fm-ther  linht  „„  the  sad  histor>-  of  tl,,. 
retreat  of  Sir  John  PVanklin's  expedition,  by  cvaminiu- 
the  west  coast  of  Kino  William's  I.slaud  in  the  summer 


V. 


5'4 


nV  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


))•». 


wlieii  the  jj^romul  would  be  free  of  snow.  Thc\-  wintered 
near  Chesterfield  Inlet,  on  Hudson's  Wax.  (  )u  Aiiril  r. 
1879,  the\'  set  out  for  the  estnar\-  of  the  C.reat  1m>1i 
River,  takin,i;-  onl\'  very  little  provisions  and  assisli-d  1)\ 
Kskinios  and  dojjjs.  Their  reliance  was  niainls  on 
ji;anie,  in  wiiicli  they  were  favored  by  fortnne.  killing 
no  less  than  522  reindeer  on  the  trip.  The  ei)ld  of  the 
winter  in  this  rej^ion  is  intense,  the  therni()n\t.ti.-r  fallin,i; 
as  low  as  70°  below  zero,  so  that  the  retnrn  jouriRA-, 
which  was  be«;nn  in  Xox'eniber,  was  most  remarkable. 
Little  was  left  to  be  done  with  rej^ard  to  the  search  after 
McClintock  and  Hall,  bnt  some  <jraves  were  ft)nnd,  as  well 
asa  medal  belonjj^in<:^  to  Lient.  Irvmq;,  of  the  /'vvv^r,  and 
some  bones  believed  to  be  his  were  broni^ht  home  and 
interred  at  Ivlinbnr<;li. 

In  iS7(j  James  (rordon  IJemiett,  of  the  New  York 
I/i'in/d,  decided  to  fit  out  an  explorinj;-  expedition  into 
Arctic  waters,  to  ]iroceed  by  way  of  I)ehrin<;  vStrait  wisl- 
ward.  Tlu'  yacht  Pandora,  in  which  vSir  Allen  Vo'.m.i; 
had  in  1.S75  so  nearh'  sncceeded  in  penetratin.i,^  Peel 
Soiuid  and  the  northwest  ])assa,i;;e  n])  to  the  i)oint 
reached  by  I'ranklin,  was  bon.^ht  and  rechristened  the 
Jcanitittc.  She  was  provisioned  for  three  years,  and  the 
nndertakinjj^  havinj^  been  made  a  national  one  by  special 
act  of  Conjjress,  the  expedition  sailed  from  vSan  I-'rancisco 
on  Jnly  S,  1S79,  nnder  the  command  of  Lieut.  De  I-on^, 
of  the  United  .States  Xa\y.  The  vessel  was  last  siL,dited 
on  vSeptember  3  steaminj;-  towards  \Vran,i;cll  Land.  Xo 
tidin_y;s    havinjj^  come   from  \\\k:  Jiaiiiiillt\   in    iSSi    two 


THE  J'HAR  ) '  RELIEF  EXPEP/7/OA.         515 

steamers  wxTc  sent  in  search.     One  of  ilani,  tlic  A'od- 
,i:rr.s\    reached    Wranj^ell    Land,    on    tlic   sonlh   side  of 
which  she  ancliored  in   a   <,n)od  harbor.      The  land  was 
explored  and  di.scovered  to  l)c  an  island  ahoiit  scvent>- 
miles  ]ouir,  with  a  ridjrc  of  hills  traversinjj^  it   cast  and 
west.      The  Rodx^ns  then  penetrated  to  the  north  of  it 
and  examined  the  ed<;e  of  the  polar  ice,  rcachinj^^  lati- 
tude 'jT,°  44'  X.,  th.e  highest  ever  attained  on  the  Hehrino 
Strait  meridian.      Xo  news  was  obtained  of  the  missin.t,^ 
expedition,  bnt  soon  after  the  melancholy  tidings  came 
from  Siberia  that  the  Jcaniuih.,  after  having  been  beset 
in  the  heavy  packs  for  twenty-two  months,  was  crnshed 
in  the  ice  and  snnk  on  Jmie   12,  iSSi,  in   latitude   77° 
15'    X.,    longitude    155°    IC.       The   crew  dragged   three 
boats  over  the  ice,  reaching  an  island,  which  thev  called 
liennett  Island,   on  July   29.       The\-   reached   the   Xew 
Siberia  I.slands  on  September  10,  and  on  the  twelfth  set 
out  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lena.      The  boats  were  .sepa- 
rated in  a  gale  on  the  same  e\ening.      One  of  the  boats 
was  lost,  but  the  one  under  hhigineer  Melville  made  the 
land  of  the  Lena  delta,  and  he  ultimately  reached  Irkutsk, 
where,   getting  assistance,  he  started  out  in  search  of 
De  Long,  who  had  also  landed.    ICventually  Melville  di.s- 
covered the  dead  bodies  of  De  Long  and  two  of  his  crew  on 
March  23,  1.SS3.  They  had  died  of  hunger  and  exhau.stion. 
At  an  international  polar  convention  held  in  Hamburg, 
1879,  followed  by  another  in  vSt.  Petersburg  in    iSSo,  it 
was  resolved   1)\-  the  representatives  of  the   nations  of 
Europe  and  .Vnierica  to  establish  a  nund:)cr  of  .stations, 


3'6 


IN  AFWrn    SEAS. 


\Vs 


one  or  more  by  each  nation,  where  s\nchronons  observa- 
tions shonhl  l)e  taken,  bL'(^innin<,f  Anj^nst,  18S2.  AuRTica 
sent  two  expeditions,  one  to  Point  ISarrow,  oii  the  north- 
ern sliores  of  Ahiska,  under  Lient.  Ray,  U.  .S.  A.,  and 
one  to  Lady  Franklin  I>a\-,  in  hititnde  Si"  44'  X., 
wliere  the  Dison-cyy  had  been  in  winter  cjnarters  in 
i.S75-'76.  On  An^^nst  11,  1S81,  the  steamer  /'lo/nis^ 
after  an  nnnsnally  snccessfnl  trip,  reached  Lady  iMank- 
lin  liay  with  a  part\-  consistin.s^  of  Lient.  (ireely  and  two 
other  lieutenants  and  twenty  ser<;eants  and  privates  of  ihc 
United  States  Army,  accompanied  1)\  Dr.  I'av\-.  The 
series  of  meteorolo<;ical  and  ma,t^netie  observations  aj^reed 
\\\)o\\  were  at  once  commenced  and  the  winter  passt-d  wilh- 
ont  accident.  In  the  snnnner  of  the  followinjL,^  year  sext-ral 
detached  parties  were  sent  ont  on  cxplorin*^  expeditions, 
one  of  them  consi.stin*^  of  Lient.  Lockwood  and  vSerj^t. 
Hrainard,  travelinj;-  alon.i;  the  northern  coast  of  (rreen- 
land  and  beyond  nntil  they  reached  a  small  island  north 
of  this  coast  in  latitude  83°  44'  X.,  longitude  44"  5'  \V., 
the  hij^hest  north  ever  attained.  The  interior  of  (irin- 
nell  Land  wa.s  al.so  explored,  and  a  fiord  discovered  enter- 
ing the  land  from  the  west. 

A  rescning  parly  failing  to  arrive,  althongh  expedi- 
tions had  been  sent  in  1SS2  and  in  1SS3,  both  of  which 
failed  to  reach  them,  a  retreat  in  boats  was  begun  on 
Angnst  9  of  the  latter  year,  with  the  expectation  of  fnul- 
ing  a  relieving  ves.scl  in  Smith  vSonnd.  They  reached 
Cape  Sabine,  where  they  were  obliged  to  encamp  for  the 
winter,  on  October  21,  1^83.      Here  the  remnant  of  the 


THE  PEARY  REl.II'.E  EXPEDITION. 


5'7 


party  was  rcscufd  in  the  lullowiiiiL;  \i-ar  hy  tlii.'  .stcaiiuTS 
'rihlis  and  tlu-  Pcnr.  They  had  ioiiud  a  cachi-  dI"  pro- 
visions left  at  Capi-  Sabine  hy  Xari-s  in  1S-3,  bnt  wlicn 
that  was  fxhanstcd  a  jK-riod  of  indc'scril)ahk'  horror 
ensncd.  Licnts.  (irccly  and  DancnhowL-r  and  fivt-  others 
were  discovered  in  a  tent  jnst  l)arel\-  alive,  and  the 
snrronndinj^  {graves  a\id  nnhnried  dead  told  a  j^hasth' 
and  frij^htfnl  tale. 

These  two  disasters  followint^  so  (|nickly  one  npon  the 
other  promised  to  pnt  an  elTectnal  stop  to  all  far  northern 
exploration  ;  and  from  the  time  of  the  rescne  of  the  snr- 
vivors  of  the  (ireely  j)arty  none  of  an\-  importance  was 
undertaken  nntil  that  of  Lient.  Peary,  excepting'-  only 
that  of  Xansen,  in  iSSS.  With  four  companions,  st;:rt- 
im^  from  Kii)}^e  I>ay,  on  the  east  coast  of  (ireenland.  the 
latter  accomplished  snccessfnlly  aiul  ])ro\ed  the  j)racti- 
cability  of  the  crossinj^  of  and  travelin*;;-  npon  the  interior 
ice-cap.  They  had  no  dran,i;ht  animals,  and  draj.^»^.L;ed 
all  of  their  snpplies  on  sledges,  and  finally  landed  on  the 
west  coast  near  (rodthaab. 

The  interest  aronsed  1)y  the  success  of  Lient.  Peary's 
nndertakin.t,'-  is  world-wide.  Xo  less  than  three  exi)edi- 
tions  are  in  project  to  depart  next  year,  and  it  ma\  be 
said,  withont  exaj^j^eration,  that  he  has  ansjncionsh- 
opened  a  new  era  of  polar  enterprises. 


III 


ii 


ji 


'i 


T  11 1-:  R  i-:c  !•:  pt  i  <>  \ 


At  tiiiv  AiAKi'.MY  III'  Natikai,  Si  iI'.nc  ks.  -ThI';  1nviti;i) 

(fll'.STS. 

^y^IIIC  followiiiji;  distitij^uishfd  people  win- inviUfl  to 
-*-  and  iK';ul\-  all  attfiidc-d  the  icct-ptioii  j^ixeu  al  its 
hall  (Loj;ati  Squaii),  oil  September  i  S,  i.S</2,  1)\  the 
Acadetiu'  of  Xatural  .Seii-uees  to  Lieut,  and  Mrs.  I'earx' 
and  the  meinhers  of  the  Relief  ICxpeditioii  and  ol"  the 
other   Arctic  expeditions  of  the   .\eadeni\-  : 


AriiiiM.  Cr.iwfdfd, 
Ari'lialllbaiill.  \'.   1'., 
ArchamliauUA'.  I".,  Jr. 
.\slihursi,  Dr.  Jdhii, 
.Vshhurst,  Rirh.ird  I„, 
.Vusliu,  R.  1... 
Haily,  J.rI  J., 
Mainl.  Henry  Carey, 
RaiKs.  Col.  Chas.  II., 
Maii^'li.  Daiiitl, 
liau^'li.  .Saimicl, 
Hay;ir<l.  Hon.  Tlios.  1"., 
Meaver,  Cii'ii.  J.  A., 
Jkiller,   A.    M.,  Dir.  of 

rut..  ."^alVly. 
liensdii,  Ivdwiii  N., 
Ik-lts.  Chas    .M., 
lU-lz,  J.  I-., 
liiddlf,  .Mex., 
Middle,  Arthur, 
liiihllc,  Heury  \V., 
HininKs,J<)hnS.,M  I)., 

r.  S  A. 
liis])hain,  Creorj.^e  T., 
Bladen,  Mrs.  !•;.  .S., 
lUaiikenlniri.;,  Rudolph, 


riii.irdnian.  Rev.  (i.  !>., 
I!  m/ano,    Maximilian 

I"., 
Horie,  lU'auveau, 
Bosl)y>hell,  ( iliver  C, 
Hownian,  Col.  W.  1'., 
Hoyir,  Hon.  H.  K., 
Brown,  .Mexjiiider, 
Brown,  J.  .\.,  Jr., 

iirouil,   Moses, 

Brown,  T.  Wistar, 
Bnekle\ ,  Ivlw.  S.,  Jr. 
Bnllill,  J.  C, 
Burnliani,  (leo., 
Burnhain,  (ieo.,  Jr. 
Cadualader,     Kiehard 

MeCall, 
Cainphell,  J.  J)., 
Canii)l.ell.  Miss  M.  A., 
Carson,  II.  I.., 
C.irtledj;e,  Miss   l\l'\/.n- 

lielh, 

C.issalt,  .\Uxander  J., 
Caslner,  Samuel   Jr., 
Chanitiers,  Dr.  J.  I'., 
Chandler,  Th.  1'., 


Chaunccy,  e'harles, 
ChihK,  Cfor^e  \V,, 
Clauhorn,  J  R.i\  nioiid, 
CI. irk,  C    ilo\\,'ird, 
CI. irk,  I'.dward  S., 
CUem.in,  i.uilovii'  C, 
Cleemaii.  Dr.  R.  A.. 
Co.iics,  I'idwanl  H., 
Coates.  Ilenrv  '1'., 
Coehr.iii.  Tr.ivis, 
Cochran.  T., 
ColTiii.  Lemuel, 
Coll-,,  I'Mw.ird, 
Collins,  I'red., 
Coine.i,'y>,  B.  B., 
Converse.  J.  II., 

Cook,  Joi'l. 
Cooper,  Col.  C 
Cooper,  Hon.  'I'll.  \'., 
Copi-,  .Mired, 
Cope.  Miss  C, 
Co]K.',  .Miss  C.  Iv. 
Corson,  Rohirt  K., 
Coxe,  BrinloM. 
Coxe,   I'iekley  B.. 
Coxe,  i;.  Rohert, 


t 


520 


IN  ARCT/C  SHAS. 


h' 


I 


CrissKii,  <  icorm-  v., 
Crilly,  CkI.  I'r.imis  J., 
Ciilliiiiin,  Ciil.  U.  I"., 
C'liiiMiii.uli.iiii,  I'rtcr  I'"., 
CiiyUr,   r.  :K'  Wilt, 
I).il'..sla,  Dr.  J.  M., 
Dallam,     it.iviil     luii^- 

lish, 
Dallas,     I  Inn.    (ii'ini,'!' 

M.. 
Dana,  Clias.   IC, 
Darli\,      iMamis      T. 

Siiliy, 
Darrach,  Dr.  Jatiu'^, 
Davis,  I,.  Cl.iikf. 
Daviss(ii),  I    II.  .\., 
DicluTl,   C.L'ii.    KdlKii 

1'., 
Dv-vi'iiii\',  Cli.is.  I"., 
Dioksoii,    1,.  'l.i\li>r, 
Dickson,  Saniiul, 
DisKtoii,  Hamilton, 
Dni.m,  Thomas, 
Drcxfl,  A.  J., 
Dro])sii',  Mosi's  .\., 
Dntton,   William   Dal- 

lil.a, 
Klkins,  Willi, im  I,., 
HI  Hot,  .\.  r,., 
I-Uis,  J.  It., 
Ivrrin:.;!-!',  J.  \,., 
Kverhart,  I?.  M., 
I'VhiniT,  Charles  C, 
1-Vll,  J.  R., 

I'VtiiToir,  .v.  II., 

I'iild,  Hon.  J.  T., 
l-illiiMt.  Dt.I.uilwiKS., 
Fitk-r,   Hon.  Iv.  S., 
IMick,  Kawrcnii',  .M.I) 
Toss,  Rev    C.  I)  , 
l-oulki-,  J.  Rohfrls, 
I'raley,  I'Vi-d., 
I'nrness,  H.  H., 
(;oo(kll,   Dr.  Wm 
Goodell,  Dr    Wm.  C 


(inndwin.  William, 
( ".raham,  I  Ion.  ( li'o.S  , 
('.Mj^ory,  Dr.  H.  D., 
( '■riscom,  Cli'nu'nl  II., 
II.ukiT,  CharK-s, 
Ilaikir,  Willi. ini, 
Ilanus,  C.  W., 
Ilaiiu-^,  Mrs.  Jane  R., 
IIallowi-11,  Mrs.S.C.I'., 
Ilallowi'll,  Miss  J.  I'., 
Il.inioik,   ("..  C, 
Il.irl.m,  Dr.  ('..  C. 
I  I.irdin;,',  ( 1., 
Harris,  J.  S. , 
Harrison,  (J.  C, 
Hart,   ISyirly, 
ll.irl,  Thomas,  Jr., 
Harlsliorni',  Chark's, 
Harviy,  .\.  I'., 
HaslinLjs,   (kn.  I).  II,, 
Hays,  i.    Minis,  .M.  D. 
Ila/khnrst,   H  , 
Hi-ad,  Mrs.  Ivli/.. 
H(.-a<l,  Mrs.  Harriet, 
IK'aly.  Dr.  J.  J  , 
lU'i'lmir,  Charles, 
IKiiry,   C.  W  , 
Henry,  J.  H., 
Henry,  M.  I'., 
Hersty,  Ivl.,  Jr. 
Hewitt,  CV.  W  , 
Hewitt,  W.  I)., 
Ilollinj^sworth,  S.  ('.., 
Ilolme.s,  Miss  M.S., 
Honston,  W  C  ,  Jr. 
Howe,  Dr.  II., 
Howell,    /.ojihar   I,an- 

niiiK, 
Hunt,   Dr.  William, 
Hnllmrt,      Rev.      Dr 

Merritt, 
Hntlon,    .\fldison, 
Ingham,  Dr.  James  V.. 
In,L;ham,  Willi.ini  A., 
Injfham,  Wm.  H., 


ln;jersoll,  CliarKs  I'.d- 

w.inl, 
j.mies,  I'r,,f.  1;.  J., 
|, unison,  It.  R., 
J.islrow,   Rev.  M., 
Jayne.I  lenry  I.i'lt.irn-, 
J.iyiie,  Dr.  Hoiae.', 
Jenkins,  Tlieodori'    1'., 
Johnson,  John  ( ■., 
Jones,  Charles  Henry, 
Jones,  Joseph  I,., 
Joyep,  William  H., 
Judsoii,    Dr.  <).  .\., 
Jusliee,  Willi, im  W., 
Kiefe,  Jos.  I., 
Keen,  Dr.  Charles, 
Keim,  (k'orj^e  Dilt., 
Keller,  Dr    Ida  A., 
Kern,  William   II., 
Kernan,  I'eter  1'  , 
Kromcr,  Miss  I,., 
Krmnhhaar.  C.  H., 
I.amlxlin,    Dr.    Alfred 

C, 
Lambert,  John, 
kaiidell,   Ijlwin  .\., 
I.andrclh,  liurnetl, 
l.ankenan   J.  1), 
kal'lace.  Dr.  Iv, 
Latla,  (k-n.  W.  J., 
Lea,  Henry  C, 
I.eamiii).^,  Thomas, 
I.eiily,  Dr.  Jos.,  Jr. 
Lewis,  Knoch, 
Lewis,  (ieorj^e  T  , 
Le  WIS,  Miss  Ciraoeanna, 
Lewis,  I'erey  M., 
Lewis,  Robert  M.. 
Lihhey,  Wm.,  Jr  , 
Lil)l)iiu'ott,  Crai>{, 
Lippineott,  J.  H., 
Lloyd,  M.ik-olm, 
Loekwood,  Wm.  K., 
Lon.Hslreth.  Dr.  M., 
Loj.-an,  A,  S  , 


I 


Ji 


i 


I 


1^ 


,^ 


?l 


^ 
^ 


^ 


\. 


>S 


^^  %  ,o 
^  i  1^  ^. 


N 

:~v 

>t^ 


m 


III"' 


I 


Tllli  PI'. ANY  RELIEF  EXPEDITION 


523 


f  I 


I.dj^aii,  I  Inn.  J.  A 


Morris,  ICfrni^hain  H.,      Rlioails,  Miss  lUiilah, 


k 


rl-,  c.  r. 


I,i)ii),'hliii,Ktv.  Jas.  I".,     Morris,  Harrison  S.,         RiUr,  Hon.  I".  M. 
I.yiidall,  Miss  Iv.  M.,       Morris,  I.  \V., 
MiAKer,  Hon.  Wui.,      Morris,  Dr,  J.C. 
'leCldhin,  Dr.  C. 
McClurf,  Col.  A    K. 


Rolierls,  Israil, 
-Morion,  Dr.  Tli.  S.  K.,    Roi^irs,  CliarKs  R.. 


Muckk',  Col.  M.  R., 


R( 


Col.  J.  I. 


McConni.ll,  Rev 


S.D.      Mnhr,  Simon, 


MiDononKli,  M    1" 


Mvlik-rl/,  I".  1" 


Mi-Ivlwxll,   Chit  r    V.w-    New 


l.ol.l,  CUnKiil  n. 


j^int-er  J.i'k'- 
McKf.in,  'I'll., 
.Ml  I.on^lili 


Noiris,  I)r    Is.iac, 
Norris,  Dr.  Wni.  1" 


I.ilwanl    ollriin. 


A.    H, 


Roth,  I'rof.  I".  , 
Rsan.Ri.L^ht  Rrv    J.l'., 
Rvfrss,  Roln-rt  W., 
.SailiM',  I.  I'., 
.S.innul,  jolin  D  , 
Sarl.iiii,  Miss  I'.niils-  I. 


(iHara,  I  ir.  Michail,       Scliinii.f,  jac-o 


McMasti  r,  I'rof.  Janus    I'a-'k.inl,  I  )i .  Ji 


Scott,    Hon.  y 


liaclu 


!' 


l'.,'C 


S.  i)avi- 


Si 


•a,  i.iw. 


McMicliacl,  W.iltcr,  I'arrisli.  Joscj)!!, 

Richanl     I'arsons,  James, 


H. 


Mc.Mnrlric, 


:m 


I'alttrsoii,  Hon.   R  , 
h^       Hon.     I'.iltcrson,  C.  Smart, 


W, 


ratlisoii,  Hon, 


R.  l' 


M(  A'ic 
.McWadc,  R 


Rev 


\v.  .v. 


I'.itll, 


W., 


Scolt,  Willi: 
Scull,  Davi.l, 
S'iss,  C.  I'tw. 
S(  iss,  R,  V    J.  .\, 
Sellers,  Coll  iii.in, 
Sellers,  Colcin  iii, 


Jr. 


I'aal,  J.inus  \V.,  Jr.  Sellers,   I; 


W, 


Mai 
Maittaii 


Malone 
M.ilki  le 


■IiUosli,  Ri\.  I.  S,     1". ml,  John  Roiiinan,        Seller- 


W 


I,      Miss     \'ir 


Martin, 


Sheltoll,    i  1     1\ 


I'eiirosi,  C.   I'..,  M    D.      Shfii  ,iril.  1  iirinaii. 


Ci   11.  John, 
M.irsh.iU,  Hr.  J., 
Martin,  Dr.   i'dwaril 


I'ellli 
\\-Y\v 


.  Dr.  K    A.  I- 
i)r   Williini 


SlllI.l'V, 


>,iii,m 


R. 


Martin 


Dr 


Martin,  Smioii 


.M 


i\ 


R 


y 


Meade,  Col.  <  '.eori 


INle.uar; 
Mei-s, 


■IJ 


Di 


l'e]i]ier,  William  I'l 
I'eioi,   I'.  .Morris, 

I'hiUels,   (  -.lo., 

riiillijis,  H.,  Jr, 
I'iiisol,  Dr   (',    A., 
i'lalt,  I'llarles, 
I'orler,  Dr    Win.  C, 
I'otis,  Willi. im  J., 


SI; 


Mioilnil 


.Mi"    M.  !•: 


N.  r 


sir. 


olm   I 


Sinuerh.  Win    M., 

Siiikl.  :     IM-    W., 
Slo,iii,  I'loi.  W    .M. 


Smith. 
Sniitli. 


.Million. 


Merrick,  J.  V  , 
Milclull   J.  K 


.M. 


Smith.    R 


Milhr, 
Mitch. 
Mont'' 


i'v..r.  1,.  w  , 

11,  Dr   S   Wiir. 


rn-sion,  t ;    R., 
I'n  \"sl,        Siithi  il.iiiil    Smith.  W    <• 
Sniilli.  I  .ell 


M 

I'l  ill 


Th 


I, 


'rimtnas  C 
Charles  !v 


W    M,  I" 


Snowclell,  <  a  II.   I  •     R. 


.Ml 


lit; 


imi  I  v  .  'Idionris    K 


S]>ellis\ 
Sl-ell 


Dr.  Jos    .M. 


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Mor.iis,  R 


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iMorris,  Dr    Caspei, 


Rhawii,  Willi. im  H. 


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Steele.  1mI\..iI 
Sti<  le,   H     .M  , 


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IN  ARCTIC  SEAS. 


i 


sum.  S.  A., 
StLnvanlson,  Jdliii, 
vSUwanlsijii,    'I'liuiiias, 
Stewart,  Hoii.Wiii.  I"., 
Stillc,  Prof.  Cli.J.. 
Stihiiij^,  Ivlm., 
St.Hldart,  J.  M  , 
.StoiK',  I'n'dftick  I)., 
St<  )t<.st  )ii  ry .  I  'M  \va  ri  I'l". , 
Strawl)riil!.a',J(iNliis  C, 
Stuart,  IIou.I'Mwiii  ,S., 
Sullivan,  JtriMiiiah  J., 
Sullivan,  JdIiii, 
Sul/,l)t--riier,  .M., 
S\vti,L;aril,  J.  A  , 
Tatliani,  William  I'  , 
Thayir,  lion.  M.  R., 
'I'hayiT,  ( '.LU    K\issi.'ll, 
Thomas,  Dr.  C.  H., 
Thomas,  Dr.  Chas.  M  , 
Thomas,  I'r.ink, 
Thom.is,  CivorKc, 
Thom]psi)ii.  I'K.'".  Rol)- 

crl  I'.Uis, 
Thomson,  Dr.  Win., 
Til,t;liinan,  Ik-nj.  C  , 
Tili;hman,Rii.'lianl  A., 


Tol.inil,  Ivlwanl  D., 
Towur,    CharlcinaiLjni', 

TownsiMid,  Joseph   H., 
Trotter,  C.  W., 
Troulnian,  CV.  M  , 
Tryon,  >Tiss  A.  S., 
Tyson,  Iv'A'.inl  T. 
\'au\,  J.  \\  ., 
Walk,  Dr.  J    W., 
Wallvr,  Miss  Ivur.na, 
Walton,  J.  S  , 
War!)urt<>n,  Col.  C    1'., 
WaTcn,  (iin.  I,.  II  , 
Warwick,  CharKs  1"., 
Watson,  Janus  \'., 
Wfij^htman,  William, 
Wii-htman,  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam, Jr., 
Wiil,  I'Mwanl  11., 
Wilsh,  I'd  ward  I,., 
Wilsh,  Htrlicrl, 
Wt-'slcryaard.  Lars, 
Wttherill,  Chark's, 
VVey^andt,  C.  M,, 
White,  II., 
While,  Richard  I'., 


Widenir,  r.  A.  B., 
Wiidersheini,      'i'hco- 

dore  K., 
Williams,  Talcott, 
Williams,  Miss  I,    I,.. 
Willson,   Hon.   Rol>ert 

N., 
Wilson,  J(  iseph  M  ., 
Willhank,  W.  W., 
Windsor,  J.  D., 
Winsor,  William  D., 
Wistar,  I'dward  M., 
Wistar,  Dr.  Thorn, is, 
Wisier,  Mrs.  A   C, 
Wisler,  Roclman, 
Wi>ter.  W.  Kotch. 
Wister,  W   Wyun.-, 
Worniely,     Dr.    Tlu-o. 

(■.., 
Wood,  R.  I'rancis, 
Wood,  ( leo. , 
Wood,  Richard, 
Wood,  Wdliam  iv, 
Wright,  C.  H., 
Wright,  Wni.  H., 
Wnrts.  (■    S., 
Yarnell,  ICUis, 


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